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Speech by the Minister of Health at the Million Men March

• Mobilising other men within their provinces and communities;
• Sensitizing men around their own reproductive health through provincial and national workshops;
• Accepting responsibility for their actions;
• And encouraging partnership and collaboration between men and other sectors.


Almost two years later, your commitment has not diminished and even more men have joined us in today's march. More South African men have taken their rightful position at the forefront of the fight against HIV and AIDS, violence against women and children and many other social ills of our society.

Violence against women and children is as much a public health issue as a criminal justice and social development issue. We know that, in many instances, women remain subordinate. Poverty brings social marginalisation, which effectively renders them citizens without rights. Violence is widely accepted as a means of resolving inter-personal conflict and physical punishment of women and children is tolerated.

We need to scale up the support services that relate to gender-based violence and ensure that they are adequately resourced and widely available. Inadequate support services become disincentives for reporting cases of sexual violence.

There have been considerable legislative changes during South Africa's first decade of democracy that protect the rights of women promote gender equality. A range of new laws, for example the Domestic Violence Act, the Maintenance Act, the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act, the proposed Sexual Offences Act and the Choice of Termination of Pregnancy Act all address gender related issues.

Their implementation and acceptability have been limited by continued discriminatory attitudes and practices, a lack of resources and inadequate training and skills. The health needs of those who have suffered sexual assault are important in the quest for justice. It would be a hollow victory to see the perpetrator sent to jail, if the individual who was attacked is left with a deteriorating health and a disease that could possibly have been prevented.

We are therefore intensifying the implementation of various interventions that give survivors of gender-based violence some chance of full recovery. This march is an indication that these interventions have support amongst many men who are responsible citizens of this country.

Programme director, being a boy and a man generally brings privileges, but it also carries high health costs. Men generally have a shorter life expectancy at birth than women. Young men die more often than young women, from traffic accidents and violence. Both these challenges are related to a perception of "manhood" that encourages men to take risks or use violence. This perception also encourages sexual and drug-related risk-taking. Men frequently delay seeking health care for illnesses that could be prevented or cured.

All these factors, particularly the reluctance to seek treatment for sexually transmitted infection, put men at a greater risk of contracting HIV infection. Such behaviours as alcohol and substances abuse increase the possibility of engaging in unsafe sex.

HIV is more easily transmitted sexually from men to women than vice versa. This is exacerbated by the tendency to have more sexual partners encourages the spread of HIV. A man with HIV is therefore likely to infect more people over a lifetime than an HIV-positive woman.

But with this initiative, men are beginning to give greater consideration to AIDS and its effects on families. Fathers and future fathers are encouraged to consider the potential impact of their sexual behaivour on their partners and children, including leaving children behind as orphans and introducing HIV into the family. Men are also encouraged to play a greater role in caring for family members living with HIV and AIDS.

Efforts are being made to encourage positive behaviours. We are building upon successful work that started with the Cape Town Men's Imbizo. We want to include as many men as possible in the national struggle against AIDS.

The Department of Health has developed risk-reduction measures targeted mainly at men. For example, we have programmes that specifically focus on long distance truck drivers and shebeens. These programmes are aimed at encouraging consistent practice of safe sex and to reduce the number of sexual partners.

We also have a very strong relationship with the traditional leaders across the country. These leaders are assisting in spreading the messages to the most remote communities.

To reinforce prevention efforts, the Department of Health is implementing the Comprehensive Plan for Management, Care and Treatment of HIV and AIDS which was adopted by Cabinet in November last year. This Plan strengthens the health system, enabling it to provide a series of interventions aimed at maintaining optimal health and reducing the progression from HIV to development of AIDS.

In February, we conducted an initial assessment of 110 facilities in all 53 districts of the country. Action plans to address the challenges and strengthen the capacity of facilities were developed. Accreditation teams from the Department of Health have commenced a second round of visits to provinces to formally accredit facilities that meet the requirements. The accredited facilities will be announced within the next few days. Our aim is to have one service point in every district within the first year of implementation.

The full transcript of this speech is available on the Department of Health Website, and a direct hyperlink is supplied on the righthand side of this page