New publication from Promundo and UNFPA highlights the importance of engaging young men in gender equity and sexual and reproductive health
Achieving gender equality must, and has, involved efforts to understand the vulnerabilities and risks that adolescent girls and young women face every day. But how much do we know about the realities of adolescent boys and young men? Promundo and UNFPA released a new report in March called “Boys and Young Men: Engaging Them as Supporters in the Struggle for Gender Equality, Health and Understanding Their Vulnerabilities,” which takes a deeper look at the everyday lives of boys. adolescents and young people around the world, and how they can join the movement to advance health and gender equality.
Exploring global research, the report reveals specific risks and realities for boys and young people in relation to health in general, sexual and reproductive health in particular, sexuality, media violence, sexual exploitation and other vulnerabilities. It analyzes the implications of these risks and realities not only for boys, but also on the lives of women and girls.
Adolescence is a key period where individuals of all gender identities form attitudes, opinions and beliefs – about themselves, their sexuality and their place in the world. It is a period in which ideas about equality can become ingrained. The report highlights that a holistic approach to advancing gender equality and sexual and reproductive health must include adolescent boys and girls. It highlights the need to engage boys and young men as allies in achieving gender equality and as supporters in women's empowerment, as well as the importance of addressing the specific health and social development needs of boys themselves.
Key findings:
Health: harmful definitions regarding masculinity and virility increase the vulnerability of young men to morbidity and premature mortality. Young men under 25 are three times more likely than young women to die in a traffic accident.
Sexuality: Many boys, in numerous settings, question traditional sexual roles and report yearning for connection and intimate contact beyond the sexual conquests they already have. This may have long-term benefits, as men with more gender-equitable attitudes are more likely to report that they are “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with their sexual relationship with their partner.
Sexual and Reproductive Health: Gender norms and sex roles pressure young men to adopt unhealthy versions of masculinity. In many countries, the majority of adolescent males aged 15-19 years have engaged in risky, non-marital sexual behavior in the past year.
Experiences of sexual violence: Stereotypical definitions of masculinity that make it difficult to seek help, as well as prejudices related to homophobia, make it difficult for boys to talk about sexual abuse and exploitation. While women and girls experience the majority of sexual violence, evidence indicates that one in seven boys experiences this type of violence as a child.
Education: Studies have found that boys feel that asking for help and doing well in school is a “female thing”; they may feel pressure to drop out of school to earn an income to support their family, as well as having male role models in the classroom. Boys are more likely to repeat primary school than girls in 90 out of 113 countries where data is available.
Mental Health: Men often do not seek help regarding mental health, and health systems are less likely to reach them. Poor mental health is among the leading global causes of illness in adolescents aged 10-19.
Media: The media – which includes television shows, films, music and advertisements – reinforces ideas about hyper-masculinity in which men are rewarded for aggression, resistance and misogyny. In the United States, nearly 21% of high school students ages 10 to 18 reported having experienced cyber-bullying in their lifetime.
Based on this data, the report analyzes concrete ways to work with boys and young men on sexual and reproductive health services, comprehensive sexuality education, fatherhood and caregiving, and the elimination of violence against women and girls, as well as how a masculinity lens contributes to understanding youth violence prevention in general.
Some Strategies:
Talk About Sex: Programs that address sex or power relationships are five times more likely to achieve better sexual and reproductive health outcomes.
Redefine Norms: Educational spaces for promoting sexual health and preventing violence in schools or communities can be thought of as strategic for redefining gender norms and challenging other intersectional inequalities, such as those based on race/ethnicity, social class or orientation sexual.
Improve Access to Services: Engage boys in sexual and reproductive health services (e.g., clinical diagnosis and treatment, and information, education and counseling) as an entry point to challenging harmful masculinities.
Implement Sexuality Education Methodologies: Comprehensive sexuality education is an essential approach to promoting and reinforcing gender equality in health.
Harness the power of the media: The media reinforces ideas about hyper-masculinity in which men are rewarded for aggression, resistance and misogyny – but it can also be used for positive change.
Read the full report here .
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