Impact of a Gender-Transformative HIV and Antiviolence Program on Gender Ideologies and Masculinities in Two Rural, South African Communities

Abstract

“One Man Can” (OMC) is a rights-based gender equality and health program implemented by Sonke Gender Justice Network (Sonke) in South Africa. The program seeks to reduce the spread and impact of HIV and AIDS and reduce violence against women and men. To understand how OMC workshops impact masculinities, gender norms, and perceptions of women’s rights, an academic/non-governmental organization (NGO) partnership was carried out with the University of Cape Town, the University of California at San Francisco, and Sonke. Sixty qualitative, in-depth interviews were carried out with men who had completed OMC workshops and who were recruited from Sonke’s partner organizations that were focused on gender and/or health-related services. Men were recruited who were over age 18 and who participated in OMC workshops in Limpopo and Eastern Cape Provinces, South Africa. Results reveal how men reconfigured notions of hegemonic masculinity both in terms of beliefs and practices in relationships, households, and in terms of women’s rights. In the conclusions, we consider the ways in which the OMC program extends public health research focused on masculinities, violence, and HIV/AIDS. We then critically assess the ways in which health researchers and practitioners can bolster men’s engagement within programs focused on gender equality and health.

The influence of social constructs of hegemonic masculinity and sexual behaviour on acceptability of vaginal microbicides in Zambia

“…Our study adds to the consensus that women's vulnerability to HIV is not only biological but is sustained by gender inequalities, which also complicates the introduction of HIV interventions for long-term sexual relationships (Bhana et al, 2007;Chimbiri, 2007;Smith, 2007). It also supports the argument on the need to understand and challenge the deeper and complex gender and masculine roles by engaging men and women in alternative gender identities (Dworkin et al, 2013;Kelly et al, 2015).…”

“…Hegemonic masculinity is also dynamic and continuously challenged by alternative masculinities, gender discourses and changing socio-economic conditions (Connell & Messerschmidt, 2005;Dworkin, Hatcher, Colvin, & Peacock, 2013;Hunter, 2005;Silberschmidt, 2005;Slegh, Barker, Kimonyo, Ndolimana, & Bannerman, 2013). Slegh et al (2013) reports how men in Rwanda were more involved in domestic work and caring of children; and reduced gender-based violence, following a gender transformative program by PROMUNDO and Care Rwanda.…”

Masculinities and gender-based violence in South Africa: A study of a masculinities-focused intervention programme

“…Along with this, interventions seem to have a greater impact when they are gendertransformative (Ricardo & Virani, 2010;Dworkin, Hatcher, Colvin & Peacock, 2013), and when they are part of a multi-sectoral and multiple strategy programme (Ellsberg et al, 2015).…”

“…A number of evaluations have been conducted on the intervention, generally reporting positive results (Dworkin et al, 2013;Hossain et al, 2014). However, in a similar fashion to the evaluations of Program H, MASVAW and Stepping Stones, the evaluations of OMC also raised questions about the depth of the impact that the intervention had.…”

“…Studies have also noted that there has been little attention paid to the fact that some men's attitudes and behaviours are changing without the impact of interventions, and that more attention should therefore be paid to the factors that are influencing these shifts (Dworkin et al, 2012(Dworkin et al, , 2013. In other words, men are voluntarily joining these kinds of interventions, implying that their attitudes towards gender equality and masculinities may already have begun to shift, yet there has been little research thus far on why men choose to join such initiatives, or on what initiated their attitudinal shift.…”