Free supply of female condoms mandatory in Brazil

The Commission of Social Security and Family approved in the beginning of april 2009 the Bill 3088/08 by Mrs Cida Diogo (PT-RJ), which makes mandatory the free supply of female condoms by the Ministry of Health programs that already promote the distribution of male condoms .

Under the proposal, the state and municipal offices will provide the condoms to users of programs to assist women and prevention and control of AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) maintained by the Unified Health System (SUS). The distribution must be accompanied by information on the use of the material.

Firm action

The committee endorsed the rapporteur's assent, Aline Corrêa (PP-SP). According to the Member, the proposal allows a firm action, and constantly updated to protect the health of women and control the spread of STDs.

The rapporteur said that is occurring to increase the incidence of HIV infection in women, which requires the adoption of measures such as the project.

According to the Ministry of Health in 1986 was registered only one HIV infection among women for every 16 cases in the male population. Currently, more women are infected than men, the proportion of 1.5 males for every female case. "This statistic reinforces the need for action on all fronts to protect women," argues Aline Corrêa.

Procedure

The project conducted in conclusive character and follows the Commission of Constitution and Citizenship and Justice (CCJ).

Knowledge Base

Countries in this article

Brazil

UAFC lobby paper

UAFC has developed a profound advocacy strategy in order to achieve acces to female condoms for all. For background on this strategy and to strengthen your own lobby activities you have access to this paper.

download the document

Breaking down the barriers!

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Ilze Smit of UAFC Joint Programme presented the session Female Condom Programming and Advocacy: Braking down the Barriers! at the NGO Forum ICPD+15.

read her weblog

see the photo's of the Forum

Trainings in Rwanda

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"In our daily work in HIV prevention and even in our sexual and reproductive life sessions with potential users, in trainings and advocay, we talk about female condoms as you can see in these photos. I'm pushing to include FC in our major advocay themes. It recently has been included in the Rwanda National NGO forum on AIDS for the four year strategic plan (2009/2012)," says Fortunée Twiyubahe from ACORD/Oxfam International in Rwanda.

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Knowledge base live

Part of our new website is the revolutionary knowledge base. This is a repository of concepts related to the main theme of UAFC, the female condom. This repository is organized according to themes, geographic location and time. We invite you to start exploring our knowledge base.

If you feel you have anything to contribute don't hesitate to contact us.

ACMS Website

In Cameroon the Association Camerounaise pour le Marketing (ACMS) works on making Female Condoms available to a large usersgroup. ACMS has its own website, with which it reaches especially young people.

Interview with Victoria Archibong, SFH

"I believe the introduction of the male condoms was relatively easier. This could be because it was easier to target men as the “dominant” party in relationships and the ones who will wear the condoms. There was also a lot of support from donors and IPs. The female condom is regarded more as a “woman thing”. Some men may feel threatened as the female condom will empower women in demonstrating their sexual and reproductive health rights. For Female condom programming, programmers have to be more creative and strategic."

read the interview