In 2013, with funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Institute for Reproductive Health (IRH) at Georgetown University conducted an initial review of recent literature and programs on male engagement in sexual and reproductive health. The review showed that the practice of engaging men in sexual and reproductive health programs is not yet clearly defined, and evidence of its effectiveness is still accumulating. Later that year IRH convened researchers and practitioners working on programs that engage men in sexual and reproductive health to share their experiences and reflect on transformative male engagement programming. A retrospective case study was conducted of programs using gender-transformative approaches to engage men in family planning, a sub-set of the programs initially reviewed. Data were collected to assess the effectiveness of these programs and to identify essential intervention elements to include in a definition of an emerging best practice for engaging men in family planning.
This brief is based on: a) the preliminary review of recent initiatives to engage men in sexual and reproductive health programs; b) the subsequent technical consultation to define male engagement practices, discuss evaluation of male engagement programs, and consider feasibility of scaling-up successful approaches; and, c) the case study of four interventions which used gender-transformative approaches to engage men in family planning programs. This paper identifies critical elements of involving men in family planning, with considerations for adaptability and sustainability, and lays the groundwork for engaging men through gender-transformative programming.
Please see below for the Brief, in PDF.