WINGS for Men

 

A barrier analysis conducted by WINGS in 2005 indicated that gender inequality and misconceptions among men about family planning are major obstacles to contraceptive use in Guatemala.

Guatemala remains highly paternalistic, with widespread machista attitudes about women’s roles both within the family and in society at large. The fact that many reproductive health and family planning programs target women while excluding men only compounds this problem. Men’s participation is crucial for decreasing the spread of sexually transmitted infections, preventing unplanned pregnancies, increasing utilization of family planning methods, and fostering responsible fatherhood.

In 2007, after conducting focus groups that demonstrated a significant demand among men for quality information about family planning, WINGS launched the WINGS for Men program.  The program incorporates a number of elements, including:

  • Educational workshops in the departments of Escuintla and Chimaltenango for groups of 10-12 men, consisting of six modules covering sexual and reproductive health , gender equality, responsible fatherhood, partner communication, sexually transmitted infections, and family planning methods;
  • A national mass media campaign targeted at men, promoting sexual and reproductive health and responsible fatherhood.  Information is distributed by means of posters, postcards, and pamphlets as well as radio spots aired in national and community radio stations and spots distributed with music CDs to bus drivers;
  • Peer education, training men in Chimaltenango and Escuintla to serve as advocates and information resources for sexual and reproductive health for men in their communities; and
  • Training of health care providers on how to better provide sexual and reproductive health care for men and how to create more male-friendly spaces in health centers.

This project is one of the first of its kind in Guatemala and builds on
a growing international consensus around the importance of involving
men as responsible partners in reproductive health programming. Because
of the initial success of the WINGS for Men program and the demand for
SRH services for men in all departments of Guatemala, WINGS has
recently begun to work in capacity building; training other
organizations to implement SRH programs for men as well.

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