A study by among low-income college students of Mumbai by Dr Leena Abraham of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, has found that boys are more sexually active than girls. The striking gender differences are due to differential norms that govern male and female sexuality in India and to the opportunities available to boys for exploring male sexuality. Sexual intimacy varies in these relation ships with sexual intercourse being more common in time pass. Boys engage in multiple sexual relationships and their partners extend beyond peers to include CSWs and aunties . Condom use is inconsistent among boys as sex is often unplanned or under peer pressure.
Risk perception varies between boys and girls.
Girl s perception of risk is social in nature- bad name , loss of honor , which makes them abstain from sex. It is only very recently that the sexual and reproductive health needs of this group of people has received any attention in Pakistan. Shaym Thapa of Family Health International, Nepal, said a recurrent theme emerging was the influence of gender norms on reproductive health, especially as it relates to females lack of power and resources. A number of aspects of girls lives such as lack of education, early marriage, involvement in domestic and non-wage labor and low status within the family lead to poor reproductive health outcomes, such as increased risk of unintended and high risk pregnancies, poor pregnancy outcomes and physical and sexual abuse. Though to a less extent than females, gender norms also have an effect on young males reproductive health, related to pressure to become financially stable before marrying and starting a family as well as the expectation that males already know everything they need to know about sexuality.