Facilitating Gender Equity and Transformation :

Briefs

Increasing Male Engagement in HIV Prevention in Côte d’Ivoire (Project Brief No. 25)
Harmful gender norms and inequalities continue to fuel the HIV epidemic in Côte d’Ivoire. Socially constructed expectations about men’s and women’s responsibilities, roles, and attitudes are a root cause of men’s and women’s differential risk of HIV infection. Qualitative research explored reasons for lack of male engagement and perceptions about gender roles. Using EngenderHealth’s Men As Partners® (MAP®) approach, RESPOND worked with health care providers and with religious and community leaders to make health services more male-friendly and increase male engagement in HIV prevention. From 2011 to 2014, RESPOND engaged with seven pilot facilities, training providers and community leaders and providing informational materials to increase male engagement and promote couples testing for HIV. By the end of the project, the percentage of people being tested for HIV at the facilities who were men increased 5% to more than 20%.
Available in English (PDF, 3.2 MB)

Prevention of and Response to Gender-Based Violence in Two Provinces of Burundi (Project Brief No. 23)
Gender-based violence (GBV)—defined as physical, psychological, and/or sexual violence—is pervasive in Burundi. In 2012, RESPOND Project began working with the government to strengthen GBV prevention and response efforts in two provinces—Kayanza and Muyinga. Strategies included initiating complementary interventions to strengthen health facilities’ capacity to provide services to GBV survivors, promoting gender-equitable norms at the community level, and strengthening linkages between communities and the health care system to facilitate access to services. Evaluation results suggest that providers became more knowledgeable about GBV case management, more likely to refer clients for other services, and more likely to have the appropriate supplies and equipment at their disposal. In addition, surveys and interviews suggested a shift toward more gender-equitable norms.
Available in English (PDF, 3.2 MB) and French (PDF, 3.3 MB)

Views on Family Planning and Long-Acting and Permanent Methods: Insights from Malawi (Project Brief No. 11)
Despite high levels of contraceptive knowledge in Malawi and a recent climb in the contraceptive prevalence rate, fertility rates remain elevated. As part of a broader study of attitudes about contraception, RESPOND conducted qualitative research among current female users of long-acting and permanent methods, postpartum women not practicing contraception, women who had discontinued method use, married men, and health care providers. Results revealed concerns and misunderstandings about modern contraceptives, particularly about permanent methods. Gender norms were seen as hindrances to contraceptive adoption. Satisfied clients could be deployed to talk about their chosen method, explain their reasons for adopting it, and discuss the advantages they derive from it.
Available in English (PDF, 3.5 MB)

Views on Family Planning and Long-Acting and Permanent Methods: Insights from Nigeria (Project Brief No. 10)
Nigeria, the most populous nation in Africa, has high levels of fertility and maternal mortality and very low levels of contraceptive use, with just 10% of married women of reproductive age using a modern contraceptive method. Thus, unmet need for family planning is high, especially unmet need for spacing births. As part of a broader study of attitudes about contraception, RESPOND conducted qualitative research among current female users of long-acting and permanent methods, postpartum women not practicing contraception, women who had discontinued method use, married men, and health care providers. Results revealed negative attitudes toward couples with few children, misinformation about long-acting methods, and gender norm–related barriers to contraceptive adoption. Stock-outs and provider biases also were noted as problems.
Available in English (PDF, 3.3 MB)

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COPE, Men As Partners, and MAP are registered trademarks of EngenderHealth. SEED is a trademark of EngenderHealth.
Photo credits: M. Tuschman/EngenderHealth; A. Fiorente/EngenderHealth; C. Svingen/EngenderHealth.

This web site was made possible by the generous support of the American people through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), under the terms of the cooperative agreement GPO-A-000-08-00007-00. The information provided on this web site is not official U.S. Government information and does not represent the views or positions of the USAID or the U.S. Government.

The RESPOND Project Digital Archive, Version 2.0