The latest Brothers for Life television advertisement campaign to be flighted draws upon the spirit of brotherhood that exists among South African men and encourages them to influence each other positively as men, partners, and parents and as leaders. The advertisement began broadcasting on SABC and e.tv from 1 February.
The advertisement coincides with Sexual and Reproductive Health Month, as well as STI Condom Week from 14 February.
“One of the fundamental tenets of being a Brother for Life is choosing one partner over multiple chances with HIV. A critical element of the campaign is to address the risks associated with having multiple and concurrent partnerships, particularly when it comes to HIV/AIDS,’ says Bob Phato, head of the Men’s Sector of the South African National AIDS Council (Sanac).
According to the 2009 National Communication Survey on HIV/AIDS (NCS), the results of which have been made public in the past week, multiple sexual partnerships are more prevalent among men than women.
“Heartening indications in the NCS results are that condom usage is high, particularly among young people, and that men and women on average have 2.8% fewer partners than the 2006 NCS found, but it is clear that the main drivers of the HIV/AIDS epidemic are multiple and concurrent partnerships,’ says Brothers for Life project manager Mandla Ndlovu.
“This is exactly why the new Brothers for Life advertisement is so important: we hope to influence men, and get men to influence other men, to cut down on the number of sexual partners they have.’
