When men are provided with information about reproductive health issues, they are more likely to support their partners' family-planning decisions. This support is especially important in cultures where women, unable to negotiate sexual relationships, may be exposing themselves to STDs and unwanted pregnancies. Good communication between partners ensures that women receive the reproductive health care they need.

In response to a mandate handed down at the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo, AVSC International developed the Men As Partners (MAP) initiative with the objectives to increase:

• men's awareness and support of the reproductive health choices of their partners
• men's awareness of the need to safeguard reproductive health, especially through the prevention of STDs
• the use of contraceptive methods that require the participation and cooperation of men (condoms, vasectomy, withdrawal, periodic abstinence) among couples who want to use them.

Gender issues: opportunities should be found to involve men that do not compromise women and their needs. Staff need to understand that cultural constraints related to gender can affect service delivery. When the role that important outsiders play in clients' lives is recognized, it can be incorporated into counselling and service provision. Culturally and socially appropriate language facilitates discussion of sensitive subjects like sexuality.

Reproductive health services for men: AVSC presented a reproductive health model for men that was developed through a consultation with 10 clinicians, counsellors and social scientists. The model identifies minimal reproductive healthrelated services for teenage and adult men who have access to public health clinics. These services include: a complete sexual and reproductive history; ageappropriate physical examination; screening for substance abuse, anger management and mental health needs; comprehensive reproductive health education, including issues of basic sexuality and fertility, contraception, STD prevention, genital health and hygiene.

When integrating STD services, prevention should be the focus with condoms and information being distributed inside facilities and via community educators. Integrating STD diagnosis and treatment into existing programmes may help avoid the stigma posed by special STD clinics. Links with other services in the community can ensure that issues like sexually-based violence are addressed.

Counsellors should be able to deal with all topics, including sensitive ones. They need to be knowledgeable about clients and their sexuality, social and cultural norms, and available services. Counsellors should urge men to share responsibility for contraception and reproductive health.

Community outreach and workplace programmes: focus groups are a useful research tool for identifying key messages, issues and services for local men. Peer educators are effective in communicating and distributing reproductive health information and materials to men. Educators can distribute information during community events and local festivals and locations such as public bathrooms, bars and town halls.

Incorporating reproductive health information and services into programmes at schools, military and police academies and workplaces is a way to reach large and diverse groups of men. Highlevel policy-makers, community leaders and journalists need to be aware of men's programmes.

Access to services: services for men can be integrated into already existing services, although in some situations standalone services are more appropriate. Materials can be distributed to men attending clinics for other reasons as well. Information and educational activities should address both men and women, including information on female reproductive physiology, family planning and other aspects of reproductive health.  Services must be tailored to the needs of the community in order to be sustainable. Managers should consider sharing costs with other organizations as well as cost-recovery schemes.

Adolescents: programme managers can set up youth centres in collaboration with departments of health and education. Other important outreach venues include schools and sports clubs. Providers should be trained to talk to and deal with young populations and to be sensitive to their special concerns.