Policy Advocacy

Part of Deepak Foundation's Annual Report, 2001-2002

Research, carried out by DCT, over the past three years or so has found that young men associate masturbation with many adverse effects - negative health effects and sexual dysfunction due to masturbation. Another critical finding was that men who engaged in sexual risk behavior did so partly in order to avoid the perceived dangers of masturbation, both its effect in weakening the body and on future sexual performance. The DCT team found that anxieties related to masturbation were not specific only to those young men indulging in high-risk behavior - they were also present in youth who have not yet had sex with a partner. However, both groups believe masturbation causes negative health consequences and effects future sexual performance, which is why DCT believes that education of these concerns, should be incorporated into HIV/AIDS prevention programs. DCT's research shows that addressing male semen loss concerns can prove to be a major strategy for behavior change process since very often these very concerns are determinants of high-risk behavior.

DCT felt that the research carried out by them should be made public and it believed it was of utmost importance to advocate change in the attitudes of policy makers and implementers, so that they could broaden their definitions and thinking concerning "safe sex messages" as well as the scope of health services aimed for prevention of STI/HIV/AIDS. Through its policy advocacy DCT hoped for a change in the attitudes of policy makers, who would recognize and accept that male sexual concerns are an important area to address for prevention of STI/HIV/AIDS.

In 2000 DCT had organized a State level Advocacy Workshop in co-operation with the Gujarat State Aids Control Society. This was DCT's first-ever effort in Systematic Communication and Advocacy. In 2001, DCT was able to organize Advocacy workshops on the above subject at both the National level and at the International level.

DCT organized a national consultation meet in New Delhi in September 2001 on "Men's Sexual Health and Semen Loss Concerns". The objectives of this national level consultation were:

The meet was very well attended by representatives from the National and State Government organizations; NGOs working in the field of reproductive and sexual health; research institutions and agencies; medical and health care providing institutions; donor/funding agencies including UN agencies.

A number of policy level recommendations emerged from this meet. A committee was also formed in this meet, to discuss how to extend this intervention into HIV prevention programs nationwide.

As a continuation of its advocacy efforts DCT organized a satellite symposium on "Male Semen Loss Concerns in the Perspective of HIV" at the Sixth ICAAP, Melbourne in October 2001. Technical and Financial support was provided by UNAIDS India, and the Ebert Program on Reproductive Health of Population Council, New York. The symposium aimed at bringing together a group of experts from around the world, to discuss and bring to the forefront issues regarding male sexuality and semen loss concerns at an important international forum such as the ICAAP. The satellite session was well attended by an audience representing various international and national NGOs, Research institutions, academic institutions, medical practitioners and field workers from the Asia Pacific region as well from rest of the world. There was an impressive participation from parliamentarians and politicians from India, including Members of Parliament, State Health Ministers, senior bureaucrats and administrators from the Government and international multilateral agencies such as the WHO, UN and bilateral agencies.

A wide variety of papers were presented at both events which cover a wide range of issues related to the subject and throw light on the various implications of male sexual health concerns on Intervention programs.