Page 34 - Bophelo - Edition Two | March 2025

often discourage men from expressing vulnerability or approach to address the current barriers to access and
seeking help. Many men feel pressured to conform to these use of contraceptives, including myths and
norms, which can prevent them from acknowledging their miscommunication about contraceptives and stigma
health issues and seeking necessary care. From a young around accessing health services for family planning
age, many men are taught to suppress their emotions, is needed. Similarly, to address improve uptake and
which can lead to a lack of emotional literacy. This makes continuation of PrEP among both men and women requires
it difficult for them to recognise and articulate their health a multi-level, targeted and contextualised approach
needs, further delaying or preventing them from seeking to address PrEP stigma, improve PrEP knowledge and
help. awareness, including positive messaging about HIV
prevention methods is needed. There is an urgent
Much of the research in the HSRU has focused on AGYW. need to improve the availability and accessibility of SRH
Scientists in the focal area (sexual and reproductive services for both men and women; and the SRH services
health of vulnerable populations- SRH focal area) has should include, amongst other things, sexual rights
also conducted research among boys and young men and confidential stigma-free, unbiased contraception
in the Championing Safe South Africa project which is counselling on options and services; treatment and
led by Prof Cathy Mathews and Mr Akhona Rasmeni. In prevention of STIs including HIV; and information and
this project, researchers tackle social norms through an counselling services about sexuality. More efforts are
intervention that integrates prevention of both HIV risk and needed to increase awareness of PrEP and address the
sexual violence perpetration, with a purposive focus on stigma around PrEP use. There is a need to improve
adolescent boys by correcting misperceived social norms and promote positive PrEP messaging in communities
combined with behaviour change among boys in school. to destigmatise PrEP and address misinformation.
Correcting misperceived social norms create a potentially Increasing public knowledge about HIV prevention and
powerful risk or protective pathways for interlinked risks treatment to dispel myths and misinformation, thereby
of HIV and IPV. Thus, changing norms is one important reducing the stigma around it can help improve uptake of
approach to address stigma, but must be combined with PrEP and reducing rates of HIV infection among men and
behaviour change strategies which can contribute to the young women at large.
prevention of HIV and IPV among men.
Addressing stigma involves promoting health education
What is needed and awareness, fostering supportive communities, and
implementing inclusive policies. By reducing stigma, we
To reduce the unmet need for family planning and can improve health outcomes and enhance the quality of
unintended pregnancies among AGYW, a multi-level life for all.

32 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL