Multiple and Concurrent Sexual Partners: What's Culture Got to do With It? A Handbook for Journalists

This 26-page handbook, published by the Soul City Institute for Health & Development Communication for the OneLove South Africa campaign, is designed for journalists as a tool to promote informed discussion around HIV and multiple concurrent partnerships (MCP). The handbook contains findings of research conducted in Southern Africa by Soul City that confirmed that certain cultural practices, social norms, and beliefs promote and even institutionalise MCP as socially acceptable and widely practised. This, in turn, was found to largely contribute to higher risks of HIV infection and prevalence.

The handbook goes on to discuss AIDS, MCP and culture, and reporting on HIV/AIDS and culture. It provides case studies of three different types of MCP - steady partner and other 'side' partners; intergenerational and transactional sexual relationships; and polygamy - and provides a number of resources for journalists, including suggestions for sources, websites, and additional reading.

The handbook is part of the OneLove Southern Africa regional campaign, which is being rolled out across southern Africa in 2008 and 2009. The South Africa-based Onelove campaign, to which this handbook belongs, was launched in January 2009. According to the organisers, the overall goal of the campaign is to reduce new HIV infections in the country by 10% by 2011.