Why We Need Men to Save Lives
Koki Agarwal
An interesting aspect of working on women’s health in the developing world is that it is often the men who hold the keys to improving maternal health. In many low-resource settings, men are the primary decision-makers for the family – from determining the number of children to the timing of pregnancies, and even whether women can seek health care for themselves or their children. We have been hesitant, in many cases, to engage men in what has traditionally been seen as a women-centered issue. But to improve maternal health outcomes in developing countries, men must be considered equally important to reach as women.
Our program work shows that males can become valuable allies in addressing health issues. Time and time again we have seen maternal health programs benefit from the positive roles men play within their communities. Educating and empowering men to become more involved in maternal and health issues not only improves outcomes for the mother and baby, but can mean the difference between life and death in cases of complications, when women need immediate medical care. However, men also need to see the advantages for themselves and be key contributors to the dialogue.
