Promoting more gender-equitable norms and behaviors among young men as an HIV/AIDS prevention strategy

The Population Council and the Promundo Institute studied the effectiveness of interventions in Brazil designed to change the attitudes of young men in relation to gender norms and reducing the risk of contracting HIV/STIs. One conclusion of the study was the recognition of the importance of engaging young people (men and women) in the issue of gender relations and the risks of HIV contamination. The results of the study indicate that addressing inequitable gender norms, particularly those that define masculinity, can be an important element of HIV prevention strategies. These findings suggest that group education interventions can successfully influence young men’s attitudes toward gender roles and lead to healthier relationships. The findings also provide empirical evidence that a behavior change intervention focused on combating inequitable gender norms is associated with improvements in HIV/STI risk outcomes