The female condom: a powerful tool for protection

The potential of the female condom for empowering and protecting women

Published by: United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) , 2006
Via: Eldis

This report emphasises the potential of the female condom as a strategy for women to gain control over their lives and their bodies, by preventing unwanted pregnancies and lowering their susceptibility to the HIV infection. According to the report the female condom is an effective STI and pregnancy prevention technology available now that enables couples to reduce their risks, while research shows that the method is comparable to the male condom in its effectiveness in preventing pregnancy and STIs. However, despite the availability of the female condom for the last ten years usage is still low.

This report is one output from a consultation with more than 100 experts from 15 countries who met in Baltimore, Maryland, in September 2005 at the Global Consultation on the Female Condom (GCFC) to discuss the status of the female condom worldwide and to develop a plan of action to build support for the method. The report answers key questions about the female condom and builds on the momentum created at the GCFC by presenting evidence of the female condom’s effectiveness and impact, identifying current challenges to wider use, and indicating the steps that need to be taken now to develop strong female condom programmes worldwide.