Namibia

HIV prevalence in Namibia was estimated at 15.3% in 2007, with approximately 200,000 people living with HIV at the end of 2007 (UNAIDS Country Profile Namibia, 2008). It is widely recognized that gender norms-societal expectations of men's and women's roles and behaviors-fuel the global HIV epidemic. For example:

• Traditional male gender norms can encourage men to equate a range of risky behaviors (e.g., the use of violence and the pursuit of multiple sexual partners) with being manly.
• Rigid constructs of masculinity also lead men to view health-seeking behaviors as a sign of weakness.

These negative gender dynamics play a critical role in increasing both men's and women's vulnerability to HIV. As a result, USAID PEPFAR country programs in Namibia have begun to include interventions to address common male gender norms and related behaviors that increase the risk of negative health outcomes.

Engaging Men in HIV Prevention
In 2007, the ACQUIRE Project introduced male engagement activities through the Men As Partners®  approach in Namibia, by providing technical assistance to PEPFAR partners on how to integrate male engagement activities into their response to the HIV epidemic. RESPOND is building on this work by providing technical assistance to LifeLine/ChildLine Namibia, a local nongovernmental organization, through male engagement training activities, such as refresher trainings for continuing partners, as well as training for new partners, performing artists, and religious leaders.

With RESPOND's technical assistance, partner organizations have:

• Published a simplified version of the EngenderHealth/Promundo Group Education Curriculum for use among communities with low levels of literacy and integrated sessions of this curriculum into their own tools
• Introduced gender activities to youth sports teams, to address health issues among adolescents

Partners were also successful in efforts to increase outreach activities for men to encourage their use of voluntary counseling and testing for HIV (VCT).  Participating VCT Centers have made their services more male-friendly by offering male testing days, hosting men's health conferences, and making their spaces more welcoming to men. As a result of these efforts, larger numbers of men are coming to the centers for VCT services.

Positioning Gender within the National HIV Prevention Strategy
Another major development was the alignment of gender work with national efforts in Namibia, including the 2009 National Strategic Framework for HIV. This national framework (effective from 2010 to 2015) calls for a focus on work driven by social and behavior change communication (SBCC) approaches.

RESPOND's Male Engagement Team contributed to this process by:

• Conducting a strategic review of male engagement approaches, using SBCC frameworks and revised methodologies
• Participating in the development of national strategic plans and communication strategies to ensure the integration of gender equality and male engagement

Partnering with Religious Leaders to Advance Gender Equality
During the final year of activities, EngenderHealth and LifeLine/ChildLine also worked in new and emerging critical thematic areas to foster gender equality and engage men in the prevention of HIV, including working with a range of religious leaders and adapting a curriculum for working with young men and boys. The religious leaders have proven promising partners in the prevention of gender-based violence and in the promotion of gender equality. They will continue to work with the male engagement team's guidance to do this work in their communities.

Additionally, a key team of religious leaders have created and tested a resource on how to utilize religious texts and arguments to support gender equity-a Spiritual Supplement to the Group Education Manual. The adaptation of this resource was part of a critical effort to train several youth organizations on how to better teach young people about gender and its connection to health risks. This resource will continue to be evaluated and improved for further use.