condom

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The Condom project is a very dynamic program that strives to remove the stigma from the use of condoms. I had the chance to talk to Joy Lynn and Adrian about their project and what they felt the conference needs to adress. Adria's take is in Spanish and translated in part.

This is published with contribution from Foko-madagascar ICT program in Madagascar and

Rising Voices blogging outreach project.

The role of the female condom has for a long time been underplayed in response to HIV/AIDS. Various campaigns have been mounted by advocates to encourage women to accept and appreciate the female condom as a preventive measure from contracting HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.

After three days of observations here at the 2008 International AIDS Conference in Mexico, I have noticed that the reason why most women refuse to embrace and use the female condom is this: There has been no recent development regarding the female condom since it was introduced on the market fifteen years ago. No efforts have been made to put up campaigns to make it more attractive and sexy. Most women still feel that the female condom is just a piece of plastic material that is noisy, unattractive and not sexy. I believe these observations are some of the reasons why women will continue to shun the female condom despite its great proven potential to reduce the transmission of HIV.  read more »

I’ve spent the day at the Global Village, the cultural area of the AIDS conference, visiting booths and seeing what they have to offer delegates and visitors who come to the open area of the conference for the day.

At TheCondomProject.org booth I joined the droves of people who huddle around the tables to make condom lapel pins by sticking pieces of handmade paper in a variety of colors and patterns onto a colorful condom inside its wrapper, adding a pin-back and displaying it to all.

After that, in the Women's Networking Zone, Maya taught two other women and myself how to use a female condom, in a friendly and professional manner, and during the whole process she encouraged our questions while prompting us to take as many as we needed to try them out.

 read more »