Integrate Health & Protection (HIV, GBV, TB & Malaria).

Integrating boys and men into health and protection programs for HIV, GBV, TB, and malaria is a crucial strategic shift. It moves beyond seeing men as part of the problem to recognizing them as essential partners and clients whose unique needs must be addressed to achieve better health outcomes for all. Men’s health outcomes are often significantly worse, and they are a key to halting transmission. Men are less likely to seek care, get tested for HIV, or adhere to treatment, driven by stigma and harmful gender norms. In Kenya, men are about twice as likely to present with advanced HIV disease as women . This “health gap” affects not just men but their families and communities .

Men’s health behaviors directly impact the health of women and children. For instance, engaging men in reproductive health is a priority for eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV . Similarly, men have higher occupational exposure to malaria and higher TB incidence, which they can transmit to household members . Harmful masculine norms are a root cause of GBV. Engaging men is therefore essential for prevention, as programs that foster positive masculinity and gender-equitable behaviors have shown encouraging impact . Effective integration requires moving from a one-size-fits-all approach to a gender-transformative one that actively challenges harmful norms and promotes equality .

The evidence in the MMAAK implemented programs supports that couple-based interventions are effective in changing harmful norms, provided they create private and safe spaces for women Ultimately, making health systems more responsive to men’s needs is not about taking away from women’s programs; it’s about creating a healthier, safer environment for everyone.