Promoting Sexual and Reproductive Health Products and Services for Men
According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), “good sexual and reproductive health (SRH) is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being in all matters relating to the reproductive system. It implies that people are able to have a satisfying and safe sex life, the capability to reproduce and the freedom to decide if, when and how often to do so."
SRH includes equal access to accurate SRH information and high-quality, affordable SRH products and services for men, women and other gendered groups, as well as autonomy in sexual and reproductive decision making.
Globally, men’s use of SRH products and services is significantly less than women’s use. In 2013, the modern method contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) was 56 percent in LMICs, with male methods (such as male condoms and vasectomy) accounting for only 8 percent of the CPR (6.3 percent and 1.9 percent, respectively). In the least developed counties, male methods account for only 3 percent (male condoms 2.7 percent and vasectomy 0.7 percent) of the modern method CPR of 30 percent. In a study of 29 countries in Africa, the median national uptake of HIV testing services (HTS) was 28.8 percent for women and 17.2 percent for men, according to the World Contraception Patterns study of 2013.
Multiple barriers prevent a man’s use of SRH products and services, including a lack of awareness or knowledge about services, access to services, beliefs and misinformation surrounding SRH products and services for men, and gender roles and norms (including social norms around men’s fertility and roles and responsibilities for reproduction and family planning).
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Banner photo: The Uganda Health Marketing Group (UHMG), in partnership with the Strengthening TB and HIV/AIDS Response in eastern-central Uganda (STAR-EC), with funding from USAID, conduct a condom promotion for the Protector brand at a rural fisher community. © 2012 Kim Burns Case/JHUCCP, Courtesy of Photoshare
