Engagement of men needed for Pacific sexual health

Transcript

A new report says more engagement of males will improve sexual and reproductive health in the Pacific, including combatting high rates of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.

The New Zealand Parliamentarians' Group on Population and Development last year heard submissions from across the region on how sexual health statistics could be improved, and has now released 14 recommendations.

Mary Baines reports.

The NZDPP chair, Barbara Kuriger, says in the Pacific, sexual and reproductive health has traditionally been seen as the responsibility of women. But she says at last year's open hearing, it became clear men wanted to be more involved.

BARBARA KURIGER: We heard from quite a few men and boys that had no where to go or were shy about asking for advice or embarrassed about coming forward. So the recommendations are we look at ways of getting those groups to interact. And we heard some amazing stories about a small group would start, and then the next thing the brothers and the cousins and all of these people would come along.

The report recommends creating more accessible health services for men, reviewing government policies on issues such as vasectomies, and developing antenatal classes for expectant fathers. It encourages more community-based male sexual health education, and training men to push other men to take responsibility for their sexual health and developing healthy families. The UNFPA Pacific representative, Laurent Zessler, says there are clear cultural, service and gender barriers to men accessing sexual health services in the region.

LAURENT ZESSLER: Cultural barriers, boys and men don't want to go to the services because they think it's not appropriate or they will be stigmatised and so on. The services sometimes, the professionals want to talk to young women and aren't very keen sometimes to talk to boys and men that should participate in the decision making.

Dr Zessler says it is a human right for boys and men to be better informed about their sexual health, and to have a shared responsibility for decisions around contraception, STIs and as parents.

LAURENT ZESSLER: We see in many countries teenage pregnancy rate that is too high, low contraceptive use. So this is the consequence of boys and young men not being involved, they are not fully aware of sexual and reproductive health matters and sexual and reproductive health rights.

The NZDPP co-chair, Kevin Hague, says it's hoped Pacific politicians will meet more frequently to ensure these recommendations become a reality.

KEVIN HAGUE: What we are hoping to do is actually increase the frequency of our meetings so that we can monitor progress against these recommendations. I would say my colleagues from the Pacific seem to go away excited about the recommendations and committed to implementing them in their domestic settings.

The report has already been presented to the Kiribati government, and will soon be distributed to other parliaments.