This is a comprehensive program to establish male involvement and participation in Family Planning/ Reproductive Health at the national level in Afghanistan.

Goal

To expand access to family planning/reproductive health services in Afghanistan through training of male health providers as the agents of change.

Objectives

1. Increase knowledge about the importance of male involvement in reproductive health among Afghan male health providers
2. Increase professional capacity among Afghan male health providers in family planning education, counseling, and services for men
3. Increase professional capacity among Afghan male health providers in safe motherhood measures
4. Address myths and misconceptions regarding family planning methods among Afghan male health providers
5. Increase professional capacity among Afghan male health providers in Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) treatment and education on prevention of STIs/HIV/AIDS for men
6. Increase gender-based violence awareness among male health providers and its relationship to health
7. Train a total of 14 doctors (7 male, 7 female) as master trainers to train other male health providers in the objectives above
8. Train a total of 500 male health providers throughout the country. The trainees will be trained by the master trainers in the objectives above
9. Trained male health providers to provide counseling and information in family planning/reproductive health to a minimum of 25,000 men in rural areas
10. Increase professional capacity within the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) to organize and conduct workshops on male reproductive health training throughout the country

Brief Background and Justification

Expansion of family planning in Afghanistan requires the cooperation and involvement of men. Many studies indicate that involvement of the male partner is an essential component in the success of family planning programs. This is especially the case in societies where it is not customary for women to make decisions regarding their fertility, such as Afghanistan. Providing family planning education and services to Afghan men provides them with a much-needed service that currently does not exist in Afghanistan. Their resulting increased knowledge and support of family planning will facilitate women’s access to family planning services.

Similarly, providing STI education on treatment and prevention to men would have a positive impact on both male and female reproductive health in Afghanistan. This is especially true since it is believed that a major portion of STIs are brought into the family by the male. Training of male health providers on both family planning and STIs would therefore be key elements of a reproductive health program addressing Afghanistan’s needs.

Lack of an effective surveillance system in regards to the prevalence of HIV infection among the general population, presence of a large number of displaced people, existence of a major commerce and transportation route, and cultural and societal barriers regarding dissemination of information about HIV, puts Afghanistan at a higher risk in terms of the spreading of the HIV virus. Therefore, HIV/AIDS education and prevention strategies are an essential part of the program.

Program

Based on the demonstrated success of the Male Family Planning/Reproductive Health Training Program and gained experience, implementation of a T.O.T. program at this time will insure the continuation and the expansion of the program into other areas. The program will be turned over to the local government by training local health professionals as master trainers who can train other male health providers in the future. In the program, 14 doctors (seven male, seven female) will be trained by FHA staff as master trainers.

Master trainers are from five different provinces representing different major ethnic groups:

• Faryab
• Herat
• Jallalabad
• Mazar e Sharif
• Parwan

By training men from a wide range of differing backgrounds and belief systems, we ensure the expansion of family planning and reproductive health information and education throughout the country.

Curriculum will include:

• Empowerment strategies and working with a post-conflict population
• Family planning in Islam
• Male involvement in family planning/reproductive health
• Infection prevention
• Safe motherhood measures
• Family planning female methods (OCP, injectables, IUDs, tubal ligation)
• Family planning male methods (condom, vasectomy)
• STIs
• HIV/AIDS
• Gender-based violence, reproductive health, and progress
• Monitoring skills development

To insure the sustainability of the Male Family Planning/Reproductive Health Program, it is important to support the newly-trained master trainers during their first days of field work. Therefore, in the second phase of the program, FHA staff will co-teach the initial workshops with the master trainers.