The Republic of Botswana has recognized the practice of having two or more sexual partners during the same period -- multiple concurrent partnerships, or MCP -- as a key driver of HIV transmission.

The practice of having two or more sexual partners over the same period of time – multiple concurrent partnerships, or MCP – is recognised as a key driver of HIV transmission in Botswana. The “National Operational Plan for Scaling Up HIV Prevention in Botswana, 2008-2010” calls for Botswana to embark on a high-profile, national, multi-year behaviour change campaign, with MCP identified as the initial focus for the campaign. This document presents a nationally-agreed plan for implementing the campaign, with common objectives, strategies and approaches.

This resource reports on the evaluation of a mass-media campaign implemented by PSI in 2008. The main messages challenged norms about multiple concurrent partnerships (MCP) and HIV risk. The method was to cite common sayings and then point out the risks inherent in the behaviors the sayings help to normalize or legitimize.

To inform efforts to curb HIV in Botswana, we describe sexual concurrency and related norms and behaviors among a sample of 807 Batswana age 15–49 years who participated in a 2003 population-based survey. Of 546 sexually active respondents, 23% reported ever having a concurrent sexual partnership with any of the last three partners from the last 12 months. Multivariate analysis found that men and youth (age <25 years), and non-religious people were more likely than their respective counterparts to report concurrency.

This qualitative study discusses how Haitian women's capacity to negotiate safe sex may be related less to their knowledge of the disease than to their customary role in sexual relationships.

This report summarizes the results of an HIV-prevention program conducted by Family Health International's AIDS Control and Prevention Project (AIDSCAP) in Jamaica from 1992 to 1996. The behavior change communications (BCC) strategy used local culture, music, drama, celebrity endorsements, and humor to convey safe-sex messages--including abstaining from multiple and concurrent partnerships.

This article describes research conducted by Family Health International investigators to identify and explain factors interfering with condom promotion at two locations in Nyanza province, western Kenya. Their goal was to help the Kenya Ministry of Health to lower the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, in the region by developing ways to improve condom counseling and distribution.

This document presents the framework of a United Nations program to combat HIV and AIDS in Lesotho, in collaboration with government and civil society agencies. The program includes interventions to address multiple and concurrent partnerships (MCP).

A qualitative study was undertaken in five communities in Lesotho with the aim of better understanding the social, economic and cultural considerations that influence individuals' decisions related to multiple sexual partnerships and the perception of HIV risk in such relationships. The goal of the study was to produce strategic information on determinants of sexual behavior, focusing particularly on social, economic and cultural factors that promote multiple concurrent sexual partnerships, with the purpose to inform national gender interventions targeting prevention of HIV.

This report analyzes C-Change formative research designed to understand how culturally-embedded communication about HIV and AIDS and sexual behavior contributes to sustaining the practice of multiple concurrent partners (MCP) in Lesotho. The findings from this research, together with a review of existing research, can help to inform message development for a short-term C-Change communication campaign focusing on HIV prevention through the promotion of dialogue about MCP.

 This 53-page qualitative research study on Multiple Concurrent Partnerships (MCP) in Lesotho was commissioned by Phela, a health and development non-governmental organisation (NGO), to inform communication interventions as part of its 5-year HIV prevention initiative. 

PSI conducted this qualitative study in Chibuto and Manjacaze Districts of Gaza Province to deepen our understanding of the factors which motivate men and women to engage or not engage in multiple and concurrent partnerships and barriers that might prevent people from reducing the number of partners.

This brief describes a community-based communication program conducted by Public Services International (PSI) in Mozambique, with the goal of raising people's awareness that the practice of multiple and concurrent partnerships (MCP) increases their risk of HIV infection.

The Fataki radio campaign in Tanzania uses humor, recognizable characters, and a familiar story to draw public attention to, and create dialogue around, intergenerational sex (IGS). Relationships of this type, in which older men offer young women money or goods in exchange for sex, increase young women's risk of exposure to HIV, yet receive little public attention. In 2007, development began on a unique contribution to this emerging area of prevention practice.

This study examined two issues of current importance for AIDS prevention in Uganda: the frequency of multiple sexual partnerships, and whether optimistic perceptions about the severity of AIDS are associated with riskier sexual behavior.

This presentation describes the experiences and lessons learned of the UPHOLD-TUKO Network in Uganda. The Tuko Club is a civil society organization of married couples that promotes mutual faithfulness among couples. The 2004 Uganda National HIV/AIDS Sero-Behavioral Survey found that the overwhelming majority of high-risk behavior occurs with spouses and that almost half of new infections arise from sex with one's spouse. Married couples are trained as trainers.

Four researchers with long experience in HIV prevention in Africa discuss how Uganda managed to control its HIV epidemic from 1986 to 2000. They agree that "the most important determinant of the reduction in HIV incidence in Uganda appears to be a decrease in multiple sexual partnerships and networks."    

This study was designed to produce strategic information on determinants of sexual behavior, focusing particularly on social, economic, and cultural factors that promote concurrent sexual partnerships(concurrency). Its goal was to inform national gender interventions to prevent HIV.

This three-page brief presents the findings of a mixed methods study conducted by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and Family Health International (FHI) in Zambia to explore the social, economic, and cultural factors related to engagement in multiple concurrent sexual partnerships (MCP).

This study used a novel tool to collect data on community norms relating to the acceptability of concurrency in rural Zimbabwe.