Master trainings on female condoms in Lagos

Abuja, 16 March, 2009

SFH, the Society for Family Health in Nigeria organized two master trainings on female condoms in Lagos, on February 24 and 26 2009. The aim of these trainings was capacity building among the participants. They learned all the details about female condoms and the use of it. Also they learned how to set up a training themselves, in order to give female condoms trainings to all different kind of communities.

The first master training reached 20 women and 6 men. The second training combined the Edo and Delta states. There were a total of 37 persons: 25 women and 12 men. The aim was that one third of the involved are men at every level (that number guarantees good participation of men without overshadowing the female participants).

The training was built around the following elements:
•    refreshing knowledge on HIV/AIDS and family planning
•    adding new models to the training
•    adult learning techniques
•    explaining techniques how to enter communities
•    capacity building on female condom programming

The participants, both women and men, reacted quite positive on the training.
Most participants had heard of the female condom, just a few had ever seen one and almost none has used it. Samples were handed out to the participants so they could try it at home and share experiences.
The outcomes were that most women liked it. Although for heavily-weighted women it was more difficult to insert. Therefore the different positions for insertion were explained. Male partners were relieved that they did not have to use the male condom. The insertion was received as stimulating – (as part of the foreplay).
Most partners were curious to use it, saw it as a novel experience.
Three or four women were having their period and found it very nice that with female condom it was possible to have sex.
Another conclusion was that with inserting it longer before the intercourse, the female condom has the same temperature as the human body and therefore it gave a natural feeling.
An other positive element for the men was that there was more fysical contact and they could see the vagina.(another stimulation).

In Nigeria female condoms will be promoted not as a health product but as a life-style product. The supply channels of the male condom will be used, being traditional and non-traditional outlets.

Knowledge Base

Countries in this article

Nigeria

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.

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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