Female condom and women’s empowerment

Female now account for half of all people infected by HIV in developing countries. Female condom which can make to prevent both HIV transmission and unwanted pregnancy is failed to get sufficient attention of policy makers and women users in Bangladesh due to leadership, awareness and price of condom at large. Female condoms should be available everywhere for universal access.
The year 2009 marks 16 years since the female condom was invented. Ironically, we have failed to make them accessible within this long period to the women who need them the most. Despite the want of any other female-initiated form of protection and unprecedented rises in funding for the response to HIV, female condoms remain inaccessible and their contribution remains unused.
The burning need for access to female condoms is evident in the feminisation of the HIV pandemic, the large unmet need for contraception and the pitiful progress towards meeting MDG 5 and 6 on maternal health and stumbling and reversing the spread of HIV.
Why we should provide female condoms, when male condoms are readily available, much cheaper and provide a comparable level of protection? Two reasons reflect are — female condoms are a tool to assist women's empowerment. Women who use female condoms report an increased sense of power for negotiation of safer sex and a greater sense of control and safety during sex. Still women do not have any alternative female-initiated means of protecting themselves.
Other one, providing both female and male condoms leads to more instances of protected sex and reductions in the incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Their additive effect, providing protection in instances which would not be protected by male condoms, makes them a cost-effective form of HIV prevention.
The female condom is a strong, soft, transparent polyurethane sheath inserted in the vagina before sexual intercourse, providing protection against both pregnancy and STIs. It is stronger than latex, odorless, causes no allergic reactions and unlike latex, may be used with both oil-based and water-based lubricants.
It can be inserted prior to intercourse, is not dependent on the male erection, and does not require immediate withdrawal after ejaculation. The female condom, therefore, contributes to women's sense of personal control and empowerment, increases women's knowledge about their bodies and STIs and improves communication between men and women.
This female friendly new measure that can play a vital part in reproductive health programmes and needs to be introduced strategically to provide the greatest public health impact. To create the impasse of population boom in Bangladesh, the expansion of use of female condom is of dire need. Donors and policy makers should come forward to reach the outreach.
Radyan is a social entrepreneur and CEO of "For people and planet", welcomes feedback at [email protected]