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Background 87

collaborating with international global leaders to focus on “feminization of the
epidemic”—strategies with a gender perspective (Sanchez, 2008).
Two successful examples of initiatives with gender perspectives are the focus of
this chapter. Programas Hombres and Mujeres are companion campaigns designed
to change how young men and women view gender roles and to urge them to con-
sider the costs of stereotypical definitions of masculinity and femininity as well as the
benefits of changing health-threatening behaviors.

CASE STUDY
Gender Norms Redefined in an Anti-HIV/AIDS Campaign

B A C KGR O UND

Addressing gender norms—societal messages that dictate what is appropriate or
expected behavior for males and females—is increasingly recognized as a key
strategy to prevent the spread of HIV infec-
tion, particularly among young people.
Those links between gender attitudes and
the spread of AIDS prompted a partnership
of Latin American NGOs (see Figure 4-1) to
develop Program H (“H” for homens, or
men, in Portuguese, and hombres in
Spanish). This social marketing initiative,
first tested in Brazil and Mexico in 1999, has
since been successfully used in more than 15
countries on three continents to persuade
young men to question traditional norms
related to manhood (Barker, 2007).
Building on their success in educating
young men about the social and health
costs of machismo culture, in 2005 the
Program H partners and World Education FIGURE 4-1 The H Alliance is an
launched Program M (“M” for mulheres, international consortium of NGOs,
women in Portuguese, and mujeres in U.N. agencies, and the private sector
Spanish) to empower young women to working to promote gender equity
take control of their sexual and reproduc- among youth.
tive health. It includes educational and Photo courtesy of Instituto Promundo