Research

The Malawi and India projects (2004–2006) included a research component studying Male Involvement in Reproductive Health Programmes. The research plan was based on information and observations gathered during the earlier phases of these projects. In Malawi, India and in many other countries, especially in the traditional communities of rural areas, men often make the decisions concerning issues related to reproductive health, such as the use of contraceptives, how women seek treatment, and HIV/AIDS prevention.

However, men usually receive very little information on these issues. Contrary to women, they do not come into contact with this information even indirectly by visiting maternity or child health clinics. This research studies ways to involve men in reproductive health projects and improve strategies in sexual and reproductive health programmes in developing countries.

Combining scientific research with project work is rather new in Finnish development cooperation, but good results have been achieved in the other Nordic countries. Involving men in reproductive health programmes is a new and significant research subject also from international perspective. The project provides further training for researchers in Finland and in the developing countries. Data collection was being carried out in 2004–2005. The results will be reported in international journals in this field.