#SexManenoz: Men and Sexual and Reproductive Health

This project aims to strengthen the knowledge and skills of young men in Kenya and Zambia in order to embrace positive masculinity attitudes and behaviours that support gender equality and the protection of women’s access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). The project will focus on engaging young men through an innovative empowerment approach called “Power Spaces” — safe places where young people can express themselves freely and openly and acquire skills to achieve their goals. The project will generate evidence on the impact of gender transformation on women’s SRHR in the targeted areas.

This will be combined with rigorous, immersive research methods that involve jointly creating community engagement processes to build knowledge, capacity, and skills, particularly in young men (and women) towards improving SRHR. Overall, the project outcomes will enhance capacity and skills among young men to advocate for women’s SRHR, along with improved attitudes and behaviours towards gender equality.

The project will produce research that informs and strengthens male engagement in SRHR programming in targeted countries as well as the African region; a refined “Power Space” methodological framework for male engagement in gender equality, and specifically for the promotion of women’s SRHR; and an advocacy strategy that integrates male engagement in SRHR and targets policymakers at national and regional levels.

This two-year project will be jointly carried out by the Africa Alliance of Young Men’s Christian Associations (YMCA) and an international research organization called ThinkPlace. Kenya YMCA and Zambia YMCA will also be engaged in implementing the project. This project is one of the four selected projects from IDRC’s Gender Transformative Research Call.