Ei-iE

The recent controversy in South Africa on making condoms available in schools highlighted what remains a sensitive issue in some societies. The fear that sex education combined with access to contraception, including condoms, encourages young people to have sex at an early age is a very real concern for many communities.

However theses fears are unfounded, as UNAIDS surmises, “there is compelling evidence from studies conducted around the world and in many different cultures that, in fact, sex education encourages responsibility.” It continues “knowledgeable young people tend to postpone intercourse or, if they do have sex, to use condoms”. Moreover, research* shows that, and that skills-based health education programmes prevent high-risk sexual behaviour.

Thus making information and contraception available to young people is not to be dismissed as ‘giving them ideas’ but rather is aimed at ensuring they have the means to make informed choices about their sexual health.

The AIDS crisis is being transformed and there are heartening signs that infection rates are slowing in many acutely affected countries. Meaningful progress is achieved when all of the ABC prevention methods are an option. The choice between Abstinence, Being faithful, and Condoms is ultimately an individual decision to be made in the context of personal beliefs and needs.

The EI EFAIDS Programme seeks to halt the AIDS epidemic by using all available means so that everyone can adopt the prevention method most appropriate to their context. We encourage participating unions to embrace and promote the widest possible range of HIV/AIDS prevention methods to most effectively address HIV and AIDS in their communities.

For further information and background please contact [email protected]

* O’Donnell, L et al. 1999