tailieunhanh - Men: Key Partners in Reproductive Health

Sustaining IEC to increase men’s participation faces obstacles related to negative individual attitudes, reluctance among decision-makers to budget IEC activities, lack of staff training, and scarce resources. Programs need to undertake strong communication programs and be able to demonstrate how IEC activities affect men’s participation in reproductive health. Research should help show which communication channels are appropriate for achieving IEC goals, how mass media messages affect men’s reproductive health behavior, and how traditional communication channels can be used to reach men. Such indicators as the per- centage of men discussing reproductive health with their partners, the percentage of men and couples using contraception, and the percentage. | Men Key Partners in Reproductive Health A Report on the First Conference of French-Speaking African Countries on Men s Participation in Reproductive Health March 30-April 3 1998 Ouagadougou Burkina Faso Report prepared by Bryant Robey Elizabeth Thomas Soulimane Baro Sidiki Kone and Guy Kpakpo Suggested Citation Men Key Partners in Reproductive Health A Report on the First Conference of FrenchSpeaking African Countries on Men s Participation in Reproductive Health 1998 Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs Baltimore MD. This publication may be reproduced without permission provided the material is distributed free of charge and Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs is acknowledged. Opinions expressed in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsoring agencies. This publication was edited produced and disseminated by Center Publications Robert J. Riccio Division Chief and Executive Editor Kristina A. Samson Editorial and Research Associate and Heather L. Bowen Publications Coordinator. Prepared by the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs with primary support from the United States Agency for International Development under the Population Communication Services Project DPE 3052-A-00-0014-00. This conference was supported by The United Nations Population Fund UNFPA UNFPA and its country offices in Benin Burkina Faso Cameroon Guinea Mali Morocco Niger Togo and Tunisia. Preface and Acknowledgments In French-speaking Africa as elsewhere reproductive health programs have focused mainly on women. In recent years however recognition has grown that men have a significant influence on family reproductive decisions that men themselves have substantial reproductive health needs and that many men are interested in better reproductive health. Men also play an important role in reproductive health programs as managers and policy-makers. Growing realization of men s awareness of and interest in