The Male Involvement Programme and Men's Sexual and Reproductive Health in Northern Namibia

Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) issues affect both males and females and relate to gender inequalities and HIV/AIDS. In the past, the focus of SRH has not been on men but on women, who get pregnant and nurture the young. This is despite evidence showing that males exercise decision-making power in different social-cultural spheres including the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). This article describes research on the impact of the Male Involvement programme in Namibia. The objectives of the programme were to train groups of males (nurses, clergy, police, soldiers and sportsmen) in SRH knowledge and communication skills. The research investigated the extent to which male participants gained SRH knowledge from the programme and the extent to which the knowledge gained affected their views on cultural conceptions of masculinity and femininity that influence their orientation towards SRH. The research utilized focus group interviews with participating males exposed to the programme. The findings showed that male participants increased their knowledge of human sexuality and sexual health. There were, however, differences in the extent of knowledge gained among the different male groups. The implications of these findings for gender relations were noted. Many of the males consequently appreciated the tensions existing in their own relationships with spouses as partly due to lack of appreciation of the other. They now saw that wives were not simply appendages of their husbands and that women are not quite as inferior as their culture had taught them to believe. They appreciated the reality of 'emotional abuse' (a concept de-emphasized in their culture). They could perceive the benefits that accrued to them personally as males from greater female empowerment and from changing their attitudes towards them. This study raises the possibility that masculine behaviours driven by culture can be changed through education.