UNFPA, State to advocate increased female condom use

By SITEMBILE SIWAWA

THE United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) says it will partner with the Ministry of Community Development Mother and Child Health in advocating increased use of female condoms.

The UNPFA says advocacy would increase the use of female condoms among women and empower them to have a say in sexual matters.

Appearing before the parliamentary committee on youth and sports recently, UNFPA country representative Mary Otieno said the use of female condoms in Zambia is still low despite its introduction about 10 years ago.

Ms Otieno told the committee chaired by Chipili member of Parliament Davis Mwila that apart from Government, stakeholders like the Zambia Education and Communications Trust will also be engaged in the advocacy campaign. 

  She was responding to a concern raised by Katombola member of Parliament Derick Livune that there was so much emphasis on the use of male condoms as compared to female condoms in Zambia.

"Women who propose the use of female condoms with their partners are usually met with stigma and that is why maybe the practice is relatively low.

Female condoms use reduces dependence on men, I mean whenever a woman wants to engage in a sexual encounter, she should not always wait for a man to produce a condom," said Ms Otieno.

Meanwhile, Ms Otieno has advised Government to deal decisively with the issues of prostitution and homosexuality as these are the key drivers of HIV/AIDS.

She voiced out concerns that Government was not yet ready to address the issues of homosexuality and prostitution.