Inter Press Service - March 6, 2000
Gustavo Capdevila

The UN agency concludes that there is sufficient evidence to assert that male behaviour significantly contributes to the propogation of the disease.

And, as a result, men can change the course of the AIDS epidemic, which in 1999 saw 5.6 million new cases throughout the world, of which 3.8 million were found in sub-Saharan Africa, and 1.3 million in central and southeast Asia.

Women are at special risk for contracting the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the precursor to AIDS, because of their relative "lack of power to determine when, where and how sexual relations take place."

But the document presented by UNAIDS during the launching of this year's campaign mentions that "what is less recognised is that the cultural beliefs and expectations that make this the case (for women) also heighten men's own vulnerability."

In a comparison of gender behaviour, the agency cited statistics showing that men seek medical assistance much less frequently than women do.

Men are also more likely to adopt attitudes and behaviours that endanger their lives, such as alcohol or illegal drug consumption and reckless driving.

Throughout the world, men average more sexual partners than women. In addition, HIV is more easily transmitted sexually from a man to a woman than vice versa. Intravenous drug users who are HIV-positive - a population mostly comprised of men - can transmit the virus to those with whom they share needles to inject the drug, and to their sexual partners.

Another factor in the world AIDS epidemic is that sexual relations between men puts both men at risk, as well as any future women partners, according to the UNAIDS document.

The report says that most sexual relations between men are kept secret. As many as one-sixth of all men surveyed around the world admitted to having sexual relations with another man at least once in their life.

The UN agency cited other polls conducted on the issue, which put rates of same-sex male relations at 10 to 16 percent in Peru, five to 13 percent in Brazil, 10 to 14 percent in the United States, 15 percent in Botswana and six to 16 percent in Thailand.

Many men who have sexual relations with other males also maintain relations with women, usually a wife or girlfriend.

UNAIDS warned that in many countries, cultural hostility towards sexual relations between men and erroneous beliefs about the issue have resulted in the implementation of inadequate AIDS-prevention measures.

Male-instigated violence is also responsible for spreading HIV, whether it is armed conflict and the ensuing migrations or forced sexual relations.

The UN document calls for striking a balance between recognising how men's behaviour contributes to the epidemic and their ability to contribute to halting further infections.

The UNAIDS position is that blaming people or groups has never been an effective way of stimulating greater participation in preventing AIDS and helping the ill.

The organisation proposes focusing efforts on encouraging positive responses and behaviours that involve the greatest possible number of men in the global fight against AIDS.

In its action plan, UNAIDS calls for increased understanding of the ways gender stereotypes and expectations affect women and men, with the hope of increasing gender equality.

The initiative also opposes conceptions of masculinity that are dangerous and dividing, as well as other prejudicial gender stereotypes.

Better communication between men and their partners about sex, drug consumption and AIDS, as well as encouraging greater acceptance and understanding of men who have same-sex relations are some of UNAIDS's goals.

The 2000 World AIDS Campaign exhorts the public to support government and civil society actions that reduce male violence and sexual violence, and for supporting men in their roles as father and protector, both within the family and in the community. (END/IPS/tra-so/pc/ff/ld/00)
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