Transforming Gender Norms
Gaps in Research
- 1.
- Changing the gender norms that can lead to increased risks of HIV such as those dictating multiple sexual partners, the use of violence, or drinking heavily for men and sexual ignorance, submissiveness and dependency for women and girls is a current challenge.
- 2.
- HIV programming must be more effective in creating meaningful involvement for both male and female partners and increase focus on gender equality.
- 3.
- Interventions are needed to reduce homophobia, which may lead MSM to have partnerships with women.
1. Changing the gender norms that can lead to increased risks of HIV such as those dictating multiple sexual partners, the use of violence, or drinking heavily for men and sexual ignorance, submissiveness and dependency for women and girls is a current challenge. Further well-evaluated interventions are needed and existing interventions need to be scaled up. Studies found that women were aware of being at risk for HIV yet felt they had no power to negotiate the terms of sex or to demand condom use. Studies found that both men and women thought multiple sexual partners for men to be an accepted norm in many countries. Media reinforced these gender stereotypes.
Gap noted, for example, in South Africa (Colvin, 2009; Harrison, 2008); Chile (Cianelli et al., 2008); China (Zhou, 2008); Latin America (Parodi and Lyra, 2008); and Zimbabwe (Feldman and Maposhere, 2003).
2. HIV programming must be more effective in creating meaningful involvement for both male and female partners and increase focus on gender equality. A review of 63 programs in developing countries found that only one-third had treated addressing gender norms as a strong central focus. In many programs, participants were asked only to bring their partners for HIV testing or other services, rather than supported to question harmful gender norms or to involve opposite sex participants in a meaningful way. “What is needed in the near future is more evidence of the synergies and sustainable outcomes that emerge when gender-transformative work with men and women becomes truly synchronized” (Levack and Greene, 2010: 21).
Gap noted, for example, globally (Bruce et al., 2011).