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Organisational Foundation

Men for Health and Gender Justice Org was founded and formally registered in 2012. Since then, we have positioned ourselves and our work at the intersection between three main stakeholder groups:

  • Marginalised and vulnerable men-their quality of life and health is our reason for being.
  • The formal health systems (local, district and national) that serve, and sometimes fail these men.
  • The Botswana and Regional LGBTQI+ movement and Sexual Reproductive Health whose rights agenda we share, and part of whose constituency we serve.

We have always had a strong focus on connecting men to care, but also on addressing some of the social, human rights and community-level challenges facing gay and bisexual (GB) men, and men who have sex with men (MSM) in Botswana.

Importantly, we do this work within a broader framework of human rights and social justice. Our goal is to improve and equalise access to services and support, and to address the pressing health challenges of our constituency. We recognise the importance of vulnerable and marginalised men from both public health and human rights perspectives. Our intention is not to privilege these men over other groups, but to ensure that they no longer suffer neglect, rejection, poor quality of life, and execrable health outcomes.

Analysis & Approach: Theory of Change & Core Process, The Development of Our Thinking

Health Rights are Indivisible from Human Rights & Social Context
  • This principle lies at the heart of our approach to service delivery, advocacy and research - it informs all of our work, and all of the relationships and alliances that support this work.
  • M4H's past work focused fairly heavily on HIV testing, ART adherence, PREP adherence, and TB and STI testing and treatment, complemented by education and psychosocial support. Our core client groups were (and remain) marginalised and vulnerable men living with HIV, and such men who aim to remain HIV-negative.
  • However, in the process of doing this work, we have learned that it is not primarily technical in nature, and nor is it just about HIV and its co-morbidities; it is also social, relational, and structural.
  • There are deep connections between sexual and reproductive health (and general health) outcomes, and a range of other interdependent variables. The diagram below illustrates some of these. Taken together (or even singly), we believe that they significantly increase the chances of poor health outcomes for vulnerable and marginalised men.

What We Stand For

Vision

Healthy men contribute to healthy, just and thriving communities.

Our Values
  • Integrity & Honesty
  • Connection to community
  • Warmth & care
  • Unity & inclusion
  • Team-work and partnership
  • Listening
Mission

Men for Health advances marginalised and vulnerable men's access to comprehensive healthcare through:

  • Clinical Services and Linkage to care.
  • Knowledge Production and learning.
  • Community engagement,advocacy and learning
  • Advocacy and health system strengthening