Priority Areas Gender-Based Violence Youth and Gender Gender Implications and Vulnerabilities of HIV/AIDS Constructive Male Engagement				Home > Priority Areas > Constructive Male Engagement Constructive Male Engagement Most reproductive health programs fail to address the influence men have on their own health and the health of women. The work that IGWG funds in this area promotes gender equity with regard to reproductive health, increases men's support for women's reproductive health and children's well being, and advances the reproductive health of both men and women. Of special interest are proposals that point to ways programs can be redefined to include men in more constructive ways, potentially as clients, as partners, and as supportive influences in the lives of women. Key themes of interest to the IGWG: Services to accommodate men as clients and partners Provider bias and providers' comfort and capabilities in working with men and couples Gender-equitable men as leaders and advocates Innovative strategies to reach men For more information about the Men and Reproductive Health Task Force (formerly Subcommittee), including the core values outlined by the subcommittee, click here. For statements on the three priority themes—meeting the needs of adolescent boys, dual protection, and gender-based violence and reproductive health—go to the RHO website, www.rho.org/html/menrh_igwg.html. Male involvement activities sponsored and funded by the IGWG SysteMALEtizing Resources for Engaging Men in Sexual and Reproductive Health Decades of research on reproductive and child health show that everyone can benefit when men are thoughtfully engaged. But distinguishing among the number and diversity of programs, research, and tools is daunting. This brochure, prepared by Margaret Greene for the IGWG, lays out many of the key resources for working with men and provides a framework for distinguishing among varied programs, illustrating the range with strong examples. This electronic brochure provides guidance for how male engagement can be a lens through which communities question norms about masculinity and programs integrate approaches to gender equity. Reaching Men to Improve Reproductive Health for All: An Implementation Guide In CD-ROM format, this guide provides examples of how to develop, implement, and evaluate reproductive health programs that involve men in promoting gender equity and improving health outcomes for men and women. This tool draws on information gathered at the conference described below. The English version is currently out of print; however, copies in Spanish are still available. In September 2003, the IGWG organized Reaching Men to Improve Reproductive Health for All, a three-day international conference on state-of-the-art programming for constructive male involvement in reproductive health. Involving Men in Sexual and Reproductive Health: Orientation Guide—a series of presentations/workshops produced by the Men and & RH Subcommittee. The guide includes a module on GBV and Reproductive Health, providing data on the prevalence of GBV and its effects on women's well being. It also addresses male socialization and approaches to mitigating GBV.