Be a Man Campaign

The campaign has eight specific objectives:

• empower young people to manage their sexuality;
• promote utilisation of available services;
• stimulate community-owned processed that create a supportive environment;
• identify and advocate against harmful social and cultural practices;
• build capacity to support, strengthen, and sustain coordinated behaviour change communication interventions;
• promote and facilitate gender equitable behaviours; and
• promote gender equitable norms.

Be a Man television spots were aired during broadcasts on Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) of all 35 games in the 2006 World Cup. The spots were also distributed to 96 video clubs in Kampala that showed the World Cup matches on satellite, and were shown on video as part of the Ministry of Health mobile film van tours to rural communities. One of the spots features 3 young men drinking beer at a bar while watching the athletic match on a TV set in the bar. When an attractive, scantily-clad young woman walks by, they manage to ignore her and instead focus on watching the soccer game (all 3 cheering as a goal is scored) - while a voiceover suggests "Focus on the important things in life. Be a man".


Click here to access examples of these spots, which were complemented by radio ads, training sessions and discussion groups with men, newspaper articles, radio programmes, and messages on the radio drama series "Rock Point 256."

As part of the campaign, organisers also developed a series of posters and billboards featuring positive messages around the behaviour of "real men."

Click here to view the posters.

Click here to view the billboards.

In June and July 2006, YEAH developed a short training course for men in male-dominated workplaces, uniformed services, schools, and community groups. The purpose of the training was to stimulate introspection and discussion about masculinity and the male gender norms that put young people and married couples at risk of HIV.

The campaign has also produced three guides related to the themes. One focuses on life choices, one on community action against “something for something” love, and the third is a listening guide for Rock Point 256 listening groups.

Gender, HIV/AIDS.

In June 2005, YEAH conducted qualitative research to understand Ugandan definitions of masculinity and to identify behaviours and practices used to express masculinity in sexual relationships, fatherhood, reproductive health, and violence. Social and cultural norms highlighted in the research were that men: generally have more power in sexual relationships/ encounters; are not expected to be faithful; often use violence as a way to resolve conflicts and control sexual partners; often use/abuse alcohol; and are not usually involved in reproductive health matters. The research helped confirm the link between gender relations and increased vulnerability to HIV. YEAH and Instituto Promundo used these results to design the strategy for "Be a Man."

A 2004 Behavioural Surveillance Survey, conducted by the country’s Ministry of Health, indicated that most new infections occur among married couples and HIV infection rates are highest among unmarried women and married men. The 2004 survey also shows that married men are almost 8 times more likely to have extramarital relationships than married women, and that married women are more likely to go for HIV testing than their husbands. Other studies have shown that as many as 40% of men physically abuse their wives and that many men and women accept this behaviour as normal. Despite these findings, "Traditionally, most of our communication efforts have focused on protecting women. It is time that we began helping men to protect themselves....Society's expectations of men are setting them up for failure," according to Vincent Kiwanuka, campaign coordinator.