A global toolkit for action by Promundo, UNFPA and MenEngage Alliance.

The toolkit presents conceptual and practical information on engaging men and boys in promoting gender equality and health. Specific topics include sexual and reproductive health, maternal, newborn and child health, fatherhood, HIV and AIDS prevention, care and support, and GBV prevention. In addition to laying out numerous examples of programmes that have effectively addressed these challenges, the toolkit provides guidance on advocacy, needs-assessment, monitoring and evaluation related to efforts to engage men and boys.

Despite the increasing recognition of the important role that men and boys play in family planning and sexual and reproductive heath, HIV/STI prevention, Gender-based Violence, maternal health and in childcare, they are still rarely engaged in health policies and programmes. In many cases, this is due to doubts about how to most appropriately and effectively integrate them in health promotion as well as lingering scepticism regarding whether men and boys really can change their behavior. This toolkit serves to articulate and reinforce the benefits of working with men and boys and provide practical strategies for doing so in ways that address the underlying gender norms which most often influence their health-related attitudes and behaviors.