Abstract : The idea of increasing men's participation in family planning has received periodic attention for the past 20 years, but there is no generally accepted understanding of what men's involvement actually means. This paper examines the gender implications of 'male involvement' for the staff and decision-makers of service delivery programmes, and the gender dynamics surrounding the use of contraceptives, particularly male-dependent methods. It discusses the importance of taking into account the interplay between men's and women's roles, rather than focusing on women's situation (or men's) alone, with the aim of increasing equality between women and men. Finally, it cautions against forms of 'male involvement' which result in men usurping what was formerly women's territory and thereby worsening existing male dominance.
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