UN Women, Stakeholders Set Up Network, Push for Male Engagement in HIV, Child, Maternal Care in Benue

During his stepdown training in Gboko, Ozoko Montfort from Otukpo Local Government Area (LGA) said they discovered that several reasons were responsible for lack of male engagement.

He said “Some of the men complained of attitudes of health workers, lack of flexible schedule for ANC and PNC visits.

A new advocacy platform aimed at increasing male participation in maternal healthcare and HIV response has been established in Benue State following a four-day social norms training organised by UN Women and partners in Makurdi.

The platform, named the “Men’s Network for Integrated Health and Social Wellbeing,” was unveiled following the training themed, “Transforming Harmful Social Norms through Positive Male Engagement for Improved Maternal, Child Health and HIV Outcomes,” held from May 11 to 14, 2026.

Participants said the network would serve as a vehicle for sustained advocacy, peer learning, community mobilisation and collective action to improve maternal and child health outcomes across Benue and Nigeria.

The training was organised by UN Women in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health, the National AIDS, Sexually Transmitted Infections Control and Hepatitis Programme (NASCP), APIN Public Health Initiatives, NINERELA+, Association of Women Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, Benue State AIDS Control Agency and other stakeholders. It brought together traditional rulers, religious leaders, healthcare workers, civil society organisations, media practitioners, government representatives and development partners.

In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, participants observed that harmful social norms, stigma and gender stereotypes continue to discourage men from supporting women during pregnancy, childbirth, postnatal care and HIV treatment.

They noted that men who accompany their spouses to health facilities are often mocked or perceived as weak, while negative attitudes from some healthcare workers also discourage service uptake and retention.

The stakeholders further expressed concern that most healthcare facilities in Benue are not designed to encourage male participation, even as HIV-related stigma continues to hinder testing, disclosure, treatment adherence and continuity of care.

They also identified poverty, gender-based violence and weak family support systems as factors increasing the vulnerability of women and girls.

Participants pledged to promote positive masculinity, empathy and shared family responsibility by encouraging men to actively participate in antenatal care, postnatal care, prevention of mother-to-child transmission services, HIV testing and treatment support.

They also committed to intensifying community sensitisation against harmful cultural practices, stigma, discrimination and violence through religious, traditional and media platforms.

The communiqué recommended the rebranding of maternity clinics into family clinics, the introduction of couple-friendly counselling and testing services, and the creation of more welcoming healthcare environments.

Participants also called on government to rehabilitate and equip healthcare facilities, recruit more skilled health workers and ensure gender-sensitive and stigma-free healthcare delivery.

The stakeholders commended UN Women, APIN, NASCP, BENSACA and other partners for organising the training, while reaffirming their commitment to transforming harmful social norms, strengthening HIV response systems and improving maternal and child health outcomes in Benue State and across Nigeria.

Since after the training, various groups have taken to step down trainings, advocacy visits, training and retraining of staff to drive home the need for male engagement in child and maternal health.