{"id":61496,"date":"2024-04-16T13:15:53","date_gmt":"2024-04-16T17:15:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.psi.org\/?p=61496"},"modified":"2024-07-22T09:39:36","modified_gmt":"2024-07-22T13:39:36","slug":"men-too-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.psi.org\/pt\/2024\/04\/men-too-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Men, Too"},"content":{"rendered":"
“To support women and girls in their contraceptive journeys, we can\u2019t leave men and boys behind. That\u2019s the heart of PSI Uganda\u2019s Maverick Next Project.\u201d<\/em><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

By Sarah Lagot Odwong, Strategic Communications Manager, PSI Uganda<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We leave half the population behind when sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services don\u2019t include men. And it impacts how the other half of the population \u2013 women and girls\u2013 can take charge of their health and lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Multiple factors hinder men\u2019s involvement in contraceptive communication, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Prevailing negative social norms, including associating masculinity with larger family size<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Limited knowledge and rampant misinformation about contraception<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. SRH campaigns are not inclusive of men and boys<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Health clinics that provide SRH are not comfortable for men to visit, with extended wait times, and health providers who are not trained to counsel men in contraception or may have negative attitudes about their presence<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Unequal power relations, between men and women, with men being primary decision makers<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
    <\/div>\n\n\n\n
    A Case for Male Engagement<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

    In Uganda, akin to many countries, SRH information is primarily directed at women.  Leaving men out of the SRH conversation hinders couples from comfortably talking about the big (often taboo) SRH topics, and navigating hard conversations around SRH preferences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    PSI Uganda, through a project with Maverick Next<\/a>, are bridging the gaps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Utilizing social and behavior change (SBC) interventions, we\u2019re reaching men where they\u2019re at, and how they need. Specifically:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    1. In-person communication workshops through bimeeza (community dialogues); bufumbo college (couples\u2019 communication college); and workplace discussions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Media messaging through FM radio campaigns, and a radio drama series, Tuteese<\/em>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Reference materials for influencers and communities.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      These multifaceted strategies aim to break down barriers and promote open communication within couples, contributing to improved family planning dynamics in Uganda\u2019s Wakiso district.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Tuteese<\/em> is the central point for the SBC interventions. We explain why.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      <\/div>\n\n\n\n
      \"\"<\/a>
      Figure 1: The radio magazine \u201cTuteese\u201d targets men aged 20-30, typified by the archetype Semakula in Wakiso.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
      <\/div>\n\n\n\n
      Meet Tuteese<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
      \"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      PSI, and creative partner RadioBasket, developed the \u201cTuteese\u201d radio show to help men recognize that SRH is not solely a woman\u2019s responsibility. Beginning in April 2024, and spanning 20 episodes, the dramatized skits will portray the transformation of 28-year-old boda-boda driver, Semakula, as he grapples with societal expectations, financial challenges, and evolving beliefs about gender roles. His journey, alongside wife Joanita, will show him encountering peer educators, discussions at the Men\u2019s Club, and visits to the health center, to learn the importance of open communication, respect, and shared-decision making in relationships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Produced in the local Luganda dialect, the campaign design draws on:<\/p>\n\n\n\n