Document Type
Report
Publication Date
2008
Abstract
The Horizons Program, CORO for Literacy, MAMTA, and Instituto Promundo developed, piloted, and scaled-up a behavior-change intervention in India to examine the effectiveness of interventions to improve young men’s attitudes toward gender roles and sexual relationships, and to reduce HIV risk behaviors and partner violence. The results of this study suggest that young men became less supportive of inequitable gender norms after participating in the interventions. Similarly, there were significant improvements among intervention participants in key outcome indicators, including condom use, partner communication, partner violence, and attitudes toward PLHIV. To maximize the chances of long-term sustainability of these positive changes, there is a need to regularly reinforce the messages related to alternative forms of masculinity and to further facilitate a supportive environment for these changes. While findings suggest that the interventions were successful in a variety of ways, the study showed that change in attitudes and behaviors is a complex process. Promoting gender equity takes ongoing effort, but led to some important changes that resulted in reduced HIV risk for the young men and their partners.
Recommended Citation
Verma, Ravi K., Julie Pulerwitz, Vaishali Sharma Mahendra, Sujata Khandekar, A.K. Singh, S.S. Das, Sunil Mehra, Anita Nura, and Gary Barker. 2008. "Promoting gender equity as a strategy to reduce HIV risk and gender-based violence among young men in India," Horizons Final Report. Washington, DC: Population Council.
DOI
10.31899/HIV2.1007
Language
English
Project
Horizons Program
Included in
Demography, Population, and Ecology Commons, Domestic and Intimate Partner Violence Commons, Health Policy Commons, International Public Health Commons, Medicine and Health Commons, Public Health Education and Promotion Commons