In 2008, IPPF adopted a new organizational policy on ‘Men and sexual and reproductive health’. 

This underscored our commitment to ensuring that our programmes and services identify and address men’s own sexual and reproductive health needs, and work with men to promote gender equality and support women’s, children’s and other men’s sexual and reproductive health and rights.

The policy provides guidance to volunteers and staff within the organization on developing or expanding IPPF’s work with men and boys in the following areas:

1.       Men’s role in promoting gender equity in health, including empowering men and boys to address underlying power and gender imbalances, and their effects on health.

2.       Reaching boys and young men, to address their specific vulnerabilities and needs, and foster healthy sexual health attitudes and behaviours from an early age.

3.       Men as partners in the prevention of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, to address the root causes of the HIV epidemic and support the needs of men living with HIV.

4.       Men as partners in the provision of safe abortion services, including specific information and education for men on supporting women’s access to safe abortion services.

5.       Men as Partners in improving access to services, to reduce barriers and increase access to information, education and high quality family planning services for everyone.

6.       Men as fathers, including the role of men in sharing family responsibilities and the concerns for pregnancy support.

7.       Men as partners in eliminating gender based violence, including supporting men’s anti-violence activism.

8.       Men’s sexual and reproductive health needs and rights, including specifically addressing men and boys’ sexual health and reproductive needs and concerns.