Adolescent Reproductive Health in Brazil

"How can some of the harmful aspects of certain traditional versions of masculinity be changed? How can we promote more gender equitable attitudes among young men? How can young men be encouraged to assume greater responsibility for reproductive and sexual health issues, to be more involved with children they father and to show greater respect in their relationships with women?" These are some of the questions that Gary Barker explored with a group of young men in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. While his work was not originally conceived as a "positive deviance" project, there are many aspects of the study that utilize the same principles. This is a unique and valuable addition to current PD work, addressing an issue that is often overlooked in many development programs.

Program Description

Building on previous studies that found "positive deviant" young men who were not conforming to the cultural norm in terms of relationships to women and reproductive health, a variety of research methods (observation and interaction twice a week for one year, focus group discussions, interviews, and life history case studies) were used to define "positive deviant behaviors" for developing program recommendations.

Reports and Studies

This recent paper provides interesting insight into the lives and challenges faced by young men in Brazil's favelas (urban low-income neighborhoods) as well as recommendations for program development, edcuators, and counselors: Gender Equitable Boys in a Gender Inequitable World: Reflections from Qualitative Research and Program Development with Young Men in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Barker, 2000).