Involving Young Men in HIV Prevention Programs

This report advocates for the need of HIV/AIDS campaigns to address the issue of gender inequality and ensure that men and boys are part of the process. According to the report, while much attention is focused on the critical role men play in women’s vulnerability to HIV infection and women’s reproductive health, there has not been much focus on interventions that encourage men to examine detrimental social norms about manhood or to improve communication with their partners, or to support women’s roles in sexual decision-making.

In response to this gap, the Horizons Program and partner organisations undertook research among young men in Brazil, Thailand, and India to better understand the linkages between gender norms and HIV-risk behaviors. The findings are outlined in this report and seek to help determine if the interventions that are developed using this information make a difference in the lives of young men and their partners.

This report describes how societal messages that dictate appropriate or expected behavior for males and females (gender norms) play an important role in the spread of HIV infection, especially among young people who are beginning their involvement in intimate relationships. Research indicates, for a number of different societies, that men believe that they should have multiple sexual partners and that they should maintain control over the actions of their female partners. These examples, according to the report, encourage gender inequality in relationships where males have greater power than females, which is described as potentially leading to sexual coercion, violence or situations where women find it impossible to practice HIV-protective behaviours.

The report also refers to research carried out in the United States that found that young men who support “traditional” notions of manhood (e.g., being dominant, taking risks, not showing emotions) were more likely to use drugs, be violent, and practice unsafe sex. The programme that was carried out in Brazil is described as including a lifestyle social marketing campaign to reinforce the themes and messages from the group activities with young men and to promote changes in social norms about masculinity and relationships on a community level. According to the report, a campaign was developed using "radio spots, billboards, posters, picture cards, and dances to communicate that it is “cool and hip” to be a more 'gender-equitable' man. The campaign encourages young men to reflect upon how they act as men and encourages them to respect their partners, to avoid using violence against women, and to take precautions to avoid HIV and other STIs.