September 16, 2015–Sexual and reproductive health and rights advocates
around the world and in Nigeria will Dance4Demand this Global Female
Condom Day (GFCD) to call for increased global and national investment in
female condoms based on widespread demand.
Today Association for Reproductive & Family Health (ARFH) and Education as
A Vaccine (EVA) will hold various advocacy events and visits to Key
stakeholders in reproductive health including women’s groups to highlight
this unsung and highly effective sexual health tool.
The female condom is the only HIV, sexually transmitted infection (STI)
and pregnancy-prevention option that is woman initiated and currently
available. Though classified as a “female” condom, it offers people of any
gender who engage in receptive sex a way to take greater control of their
health. Despite the effectiveness of female condoms and the public health
need, many people cannot access them in their communities.
With a population prevalence of 3.4 per cent according to the National
HIV/AIDS & Reproductive Health Survey conducted in 2012, Female condoms
are urgently needed to keep Nigerians healthy as Nigeria carries the
second highest HIV/AIDS burden in the world with 3.5 million Nigerians
living with the disease in 2014.
“Women and men across the globe and right here at home are dancing in
parks, at community centres, schools, clinics and even the offices of
public officials to clearly and categorically show their demand for female
condoms. Today we put to rest the question of whether people want female
condoms. It is clear that in fact we demand access to female condoms!” say
The Female Condom Advocacy Project partners in Nigeria. “We urge
policymakers to invest in female condom education, programming and
distribution to meet the local need and demand.”