We need other men to stand up and start the journey’s engaging men as HIV community health workers – a gender transformative approach

Article

Year

2021

Author/s

Gittings, L and Grimwood, A.

CONTRIBUTING ORGANISATION/PUBLICATION

Culture, Health and Sexuality. Volume 23

SUMMARY

This paper considers the potential of male delivered community health work to improve men’s HIV-related health outcomes and shift gendered norms related to care work. It describes the experiences and perspectives of eight HIV community health workers and their clients from the Cape Town area, and reviews current evidence on male-focused HIV and sexual and reproductive health services, gender transformation and men and care. Findings suggest that meaningfully involving more men in HIV care work may be a way to shift damaging hegemonic masculine norms related to care and health, and that South Africa’s roll-out of National Health Insurance could be an opportunity to do so. Barriers to engaging men in this feminised profession are also explored.

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