P43.14
Background: South Africa (SA) launched a new contraception policy in 2014 that highlights linkages between HIV prevention and sexual and reproductive health (SRH). HIV-prevention campaigns in SA have focused primarily on male condoms, while female condoms—the only available woman-initiated multipurpose prevention technology (MPT)—have not been strongly supported. Research suggests that knowledge about female condoms is limited and myths and mistrust persist, which contributes to limited access. The V condom (developed by PATH as the Woman's Condom) is being evaluated for early market introduction in SA.
Methods: WISH Associates, AGI/UCT, and PATH collaborated on activities to strengthen the policy and advocacy environment for female condoms overall, and for the V condom in particular. We conducted a policy/advocacy analysis in SA, and identified opportunities for strengthening female condom programming. From 2013–2014, we implemented strategic activities engaging policymakers, health care workers, journalists/media experts, researchers, SRH advocates, and potential consumer groups. These activities raised awareness and generated interest in female condoms overall, and the new V condom specifically.
Results: A range of activities strengthened the environment for female condom promotion and awareness, including: developing a cadre of female condom ambassadors who promote female condoms among diverse communities, organizing public awareness days, crafting media guidelines to strengthen reporting on female condoms, and a compilation of digital stories that describe why female condoms are important to women and men in South Africa.
Conclusions: Advocacy partnerships and interest from decision-makers for female condom programming suggest that support for female condoms has gleaned media and public interest. Advocacy helped pave the way for V condom introduction and offers new hope in a country where women have limited options for protecting their reproductive health.
