UN Women MCO Caribbean launched a series of dialogues across the CARICOM region on men as partners to realise gender equality in partnership with the Government of Canada. Men were drawn from various disciplines including activists, community and social workers, and they focussed on personal meanings of masculinities, masculinity in Barbadian communitiesand understanding the connection between masculinities, power imbalances and forms of gender injustice.

Every minute, a young woman is newly infected with HIV. As a result of their lower economic, socio-cultural status in many countries, women and girls are disadvantaged when it comes to negotiating safe sex, accessing HIV prevention information and services.

Barbados' Parliamentarians came together across the political divide to bring attention to the cultural changes that are needed in order to continue to contain the spread of HIV virus and ensure the flourishing of life for all and in particular those especially affected by the virus.

Policies and approaches for stemming and reversing the tide on HIV will have to have their basis in changing sexual norms. But there is need for a better understanding of these sexual norms, of attitudes and of sexual intentions and expressions.

In trying to develop responsive HIV and AIDS prevention policy for the Caribbean taking into account gender and sexual culture, there needs to be a much greater awareness and understanding about sexuality as a matter that belongs in the public domain.

On International Women’s Day March 8, 2011, women, men, boys and girls across the Caribbean region and the globe will reflect on the advancements made over the past century, where the role and value of women in society has improved to some extent and the day will be observed through a wide variety of events of celebration and advocacy.

At the XVIII International AIDS Conference in Vienna, a new report by the United Nations Development Fund for Women, UNIFEM (part of UN Women) and the ATHENA Network launched today highlights that despite international commitments