For the AIDS epidemic to continue growing unabated it takes a few good men to do nothing. With this in mind, programmes by men and for men are now in place to raise awareness among men about their role in the spread of HIV and to advise them on how they can change.
HIV/AIDS is a problem that is mainly 'moral, social and economic' rather than a health issue,Ugandan President Yuweri Museveni told delegates at the International AIDS conference in Bangkok.
Shops are full of Father's Day gifts and cards in preparation for June 20. But the sad reality is that millions of South African children have little or no contact with their fathers, and are very unlikely to spend the day with their dads.
Millions of South African children grow up without their fathers, a situation that has a profound impact on their lives. But a new initiative that encourages men to care for their children hopes to change this.
Plagued by poverty, drought, inadequate access to basic services and huge inequities, Limpopo faces enormous hurdles in bringing health to its 5,8-million inhabitants.
Over a quarter of a million women have accessed safe, legal abortions since the implementation of the Termination of Pregnancy Act in South Africa six years ago. But many are still not aware that services are legal or even exist.
Young girls are increasingly using sex to bargain for non-essentials such as fashion items and make-up studies have found.
Gender inequality contributes to South Africa's high levels of violence, hampers economic development, places strain on our health care system and is fuelling the AIDS crisis.
What makes South African men have many sexual partners and what kind of men are rapists?(Extended Version)
Strong men are often silent men and when it comes to health care, silence is dangerous. A man's reluctance to go for a medical check-up or to get information from the local clinic may have devastating consequences for his health. Prostate cancer is the most common male cancer in South Africa, but few men will talk about this illness. Two notable exceptions are former President Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu who have both had treatment for prostrate cancer. According to the Cancer Association of South Africa 1 in 31 males are suffering from prostate cancer but there's still a deafening silence around this issue.
What makes South African men have many sexual partners and what kind of men are rapists?
Survivors of violence in the developing world are unlikely to respond to western interventions based on individual counselling. This is according to a study conducted in Angola amongst displaced people living in Huila province, the results of which are published in the latest Lancet.
Clinics in Umlazi, Durban have launched a new "Men and Maternity" programme offering couple counselling classes to men and women expecting babies. The programme aims to encourage men to take more responsibility for their children, improve maternal health and offer better services at antenatal clinics.
The UNFPA's population 2000 report argues that gender inequality is a major barrier to economic growth and sustainable development and a major contributor to the alarming spread of HIV/AIDS. The report also states that South Africa has a higher number of rapes than any other country in the world. Jo Stein reports'¦
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