Men – Centre for Family Health Initiative

SPEAK WEDNESDAY ON MEN AS ALLIES IN COMBATTING GENDER BIAS

Gender Based Violence, Gender Equality, Men, Speak Wednesday / cfhinitiative

Gender bias is a universal problem that cuts across national boundaries and affects women from all areas of life. It has far-reaching effects, perpetuating inequality and impeding efforts to create a society that is inclusive and just.

The UN Secretary-General António Guterres has urged men and boys to be active agents of change, stating, “Gender equality is a human rights issue, but it is also in all our interests: men and boys, women and girls.”

UN initiatives like HeForShe aim to mobilize men and boys as advocates for gender equality, encouraging them to challenge harmful stereotypes and support women’s empowerment. By engaging men in the conversation, the UN recognizes that achieving true equality requires a collective effort.

Engaging men and boys as allies in combatting gender bias and addressing gender-based violence (GBV) is crucial for creating a more inclusive and equitable society. This can be achieved through;
• Education and Awareness
• Challenging Harmful Norms and Stereotypes
• Fostering Empathy and Compassion
• Positive male Role Models
• Active Bystander Intervention
• Promoting Healthy Relationships
• Parenting and Mentorship
• Addressing Toxic Masculinity
• Advocacy and Policy Changes:

Addressing gender bias is a collective effort that requires the active participation of individuals of all genders. Men, as allies, play an important part in this endeavour. Men can make a vital contribution to developing a more inclusive and equitable society for all by comprehending the far-reaching effects of gender bias and taking aggressive actions to confront and deconstruct it. Collaboration between men and women in this fight is critical for achieving a future free of gender bias.

Over the years, through the Gender Norms program for adolescents, CFHI creates awareness in communities and educate young boys on how to develop healthy relationships, impacts of harmful gender norms, and importance of gender equality. The intervention is an important step towards creating a more inclusive and equitable society for all.

Speak Wednesday is an initiative of CFHI to address issues around gender-based violence and gender bias.

#SpeakWednesday #GenderBias #Women’sRights #HumanRights
#GenderStereotype #GenderInequality

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Men’s Reproductive Health

Reproductive health is an important component of men’s overall health and well-being. Too often, males have been overlooked in discussions of reproductive health, especially when reproductive issues such as contraception and infertility have been perceived as female-related. Every day, men, their partners, and health care providers can protect their reproductive health by ensuring effective contraception, avoiding sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and preserving fertility (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 2016). The recognized most common issues of male’s reproductive health are Contraception, avoiding sexually transmitted diseases and Infertility/fertility. One may ask why Men’s Reproductive Health is a matter of concern. According to Cummings (2020), research shows that a man’s health before conception can damage sperm in such a way that it affects his offsprings’ health. This may include behaviours such as alcohol and drug use, smoking and lifestyle choices, medications or his exposure to chemicals at home, work, and in the environment. There is increasing evidence that damaged sperm can affect pregnancy outcomes, from miscarriage and birth weight to birth defects and childhood illnesses. There is a growing body of study which is focused on damage in spermatozoa and the effects of ageing on male reproductive health. According to Selvaratnam and Robaire (2019) Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)-damaged sperm is the cause of conditions ranging from spontaneous abortion to congenital malformations and genetic defects in children. it is important to pay more attention to men’s reproductive health because it has the potential to improve men’s lives and the lives of their children (Cummings, 2020). Men can boost their reproductive health by having a healthy lifestyle and maintaining a balanced diet. This may include among others exercising regularly, getting enough vitamin C & D, relaxing and minimizing stress, getting enough zinc, quitting smoking and excessive drinking etc. Society can foster an environment where men pay better attention to their health by raising awareness towards acknowledging first that men have certain reproductive health needs and secondly that these needs need to be catered to. Also, Federal health agencies and professional medical associations can develop Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials to educate the public about men’s health and how it can potentially affect their children’s health. Truly as stated by Cummings, paying more attention to men’s reproductive health has the potential to improve life for this generation and for generations to come.