Changing men's involvement in reproductive health and family planning

Reproductive health care for men is an emerging field that will improve the health of men, women, and children. The 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo, Egypt, sparked a global movement that called for men's full participation in reproductive health as a means to achieve gender equality, empower women, and improve family health in society This impetus required a transformation of reproductive health services from a woman-only framework to one that includes men and is based on gender equity and gender sensitivity. This article evaluates several post-Cairo frameworks for delivery of male reproductive services and reviews men's options and roles in family planning. Gender relations and the social context of partner decision-making will be challenged, as men assume more responsibility for their reproductive health and family planning.