Program H

Program H is named after homens and hombres, the words for men in Portuguese and Spanish. Launched in 2002 by Promundo and partners and now used in at least 32 countries, it primarily targets young men, ages 15 to 24, to encourage critical reflection about rigid norms related to manhood. It is based on extensive research of young men in Brazil with more gender-equitable attitudes. This research demonstrated that these attitudes were more prevalent men who had a peer group supportive of gender equality, had personally benefitted from gender equality in some way, and had more meaningful male role models. The Program H methodology promotes group education sessions combined with youth-led campaigns and activism to transform stereotypical roles associated with gender (such as prevalence of contraceptive use or distribution of household responsibilities). To complement these activities, Promundo offers a conversation-starting, no-words video Once Upon a Boy. Organizers can choose from some 70 validated Program H activities to customize the program for the needs of their communities. They can also utilize the Program HMD Toolkit, an abbreviated manual that includes recommendations for the implementation of different modules. Partners usually implement 10 to 16 activities, once a week, over a period of several months in conjunction with community awareness campaigns created by youth themselves.