Researchers Nadia Al Bayoumi, Riyad Diab and Bassam Abu Hamad conducted a mixed method study that investigates knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) among Palestinian men and male youth on SRHR and child-rearing among with a total of 952 adults and 476 adolescents. This study aims to inform future policies and programming conducted.
The study findings indicate that 66% of men, 46% of boys and 67% of girls (boys and girls aged 15-19 years) are somewhat familiar with the term ‘SRHR’. Measured as a proxy indicator, the overall level of knowledge among men is low (47.6%), although it is higher among refugees, residents of camps, nuclear families, and highly educated families. Knowledge levels are positively correlated with household (HH) income. With regard to attitudes about SRHR and child-rearing, on the Gender-Equitable Men (GEM) Scale, men scored 1.28 out of 2 (64%) while the mean score for boys was 1.23.
The overall participation score was low (43%), less than the knowledge and attitudes overall scores, highlighting that cultural norms strongly dictate what men actually do, regardless of their convictions. Multi-sectoral interventions should address the root causes of men’s low participation and aim to increase access to age- and gender-tailored SRHR services and information, progressively inducing social change towards more egalitarian norms and harnessing policy frameworks that promote men’s participation in SRHR and child-rearing activities.
