Building Bridges: Promising Strategies for Improving the Health of Boys and Men by Promoting Social Connection and Support

The Building Bridges brief, written by Breakthrough ACTION on behalf of the Interagency Gender Working Group’s Male Engagement Task Force, recommends promising strategies to improve health outcomes among boys and men by promoting social connection and support. It describes what influences relationship building and friendships among boys and men and how the quality and longevity of these relationships can influence their health behaviors and outcomes throughout their lives. In making the link between social connection and health outcomes, this brief underscores the need for improved focus and attention on relationship building and friendships in global health and development programs that partner with boys and men. This brief is aimed at program implementers whose work engages boys and men across diverse implementation settings and provides examples of strategies and programs for consideration.