Love Condoms

LOVE Condoms Campaign

5¢ Saves a Lifel

To achieve ‘Global AIDS Control’ an aggressive re-integration of condoms is critical to success. The ABC model of Abstinence - Be Faithful-Condoms, proven to be so successful in countries such as Uganda, looses its strength without the C – CONDOMS.

The LOVE Condoms Campaign goal is to scale-up to 100% access to free condoms worldwide.

The time is now to call for CONDOMS to be brought back to the forefront of HIV prevention. The campaign calls for global health initiatives based on science rather than on political or religious agendas - which include CONDOMS. Lives are at stake.

Click here to view the Eastern Europe LOVE Condoms Campaign Manifesto.

How to use this website

In addition to providing the Campaign Commitment Form for ordering free LOVE Condoms, or the Campaign Endorsement Form if not ordering condoms, this website also provides interactive links to the following resources:

• Down-loadable, official LOVE Condom logo artwork for T-shirts, balloons, flyers, brochures and even a custom designed 3-Pack that can be used to create outreach materials by businesses in your local community. These are a great way to enlist the support of vendors willing to donate or provide outreach materials at reduced costs.
• Information about why and how to use condoms.
• Video, photo & Newsletter galleries highlighting advocacy efforts and success stories from campaign partners around the world.
• A Feedback Form that we encourage you to use for sending us your thoughts and suggestions about the campaign.

Most of all, we THANK YOU for your commitment and efforts toward the goal of 100% condom access and use. This, combined with universal free HIV testing and access to anti-retroviral treatment, will drastically reduce new infections and SAVE LIVES!

Why are Condoms So Important for Global HIV and STD Control?

If global AIDS control is defined as an absolute reduction in the number of people living with HIV/AIDS in the world, then condoms are key to successfully achieving that goal. Treatment has played a crucial role in bringing hope to millions and in motivating masses of people to be tested. The huge success of the recent World AIDS Day - 1 Million Test campaign—during which men, women and children lined up across the globe to be tested—demonstrates that people want to know their status.

The formula for global AIDS control involves identifying those who are undiagnosed and linking them to treatment, which will render them less infectious. In addition, we must promote the most effective method for preventing the sexual transmission of HIV: condoms.

The aggressive integration of condoms into HIV prevention programs in the Netherlands and in Uganda was highly effective in bringing down the rate of new infections. Noting the community norm that existed in the gay community in the US in the 1980s, we know how effective condom promotion and distribution can be. We have witnessed how “abstinence-only” education has been in withholding honest information from young people and others, as well as the negative effect of religious influence on AIDS policy. Additionally, behavior modification programs targeting small groups of individuals have not proven to have a broad impact on new HIV infections.

The time is now to bring back the CONDOM. Cultural, religious and political obstacles to condom promotion remain. Unlike treatment, there is no meaningful constituency supporting the widespread use of condoms. This must change.

Condoms cost about 5¢ each and are relatively easy to use. They are nearly almost 100% effective when used correctly. Various communities have had success in bringing about higher acceptance of condom use. Many studies show that most people who know they are positive want to protect their partners. Lack of availability of condoms and their retail cost are significant factors in failure to access and use condoms.

Combined efforts that include encouraging the widespread use of condoms, rapid testing and universal access to antiretroviral treatment will bring new infections down drastically. We can stop HIV/AIDS.

Let’s bring the CONDOM back into the equation. Lives are at stake.

Condom Debate

Point: Married men do not use condoms with their wives - leaving married women most vulnerable for HIV infection. Getting married men to use condoms is very difficult as it is an indicator that they are unfaithful to their wives.

Counter Point: Uganda was successful in getting men, both married and unmarried, to use condoms.  So, it is possible. By addressing the reality that monogamy is not common to all cultures and promoting condoms without judgment, married men can be reached.

Point: Condoms are not “hip” and the challenge to make condoms “hip” is a big one.

Counter Point: Anything can be made '”hip” if marketed cleverly and it has been done. It is “hip” to be healthy, good-looking and also responsible.

Point: Successfully conveying a sense of personal responsibility is very difficult, especially in different cultures.

Counter Point: Messages that foster self pride, self respect and personal responsibility may not reach everyone, but they can be universal and have been proven to effectively create behavior change.

Point: Condom usage does not have measurable outcomes and therefore pouring money into mass condom distribution is a waste of resources that can be better applied to behavior change programs, treatment and testing.

Counter Point: Most HIV prevention/behavior change efforts do not have concrete measurable outcomes in the same way that testing and treatment efforts have, whose outcomes can be tracked in numbers. However, there are other ways to determine if condoms are being utilized: such as numbers distributed, client affirmations and interviews, risk intakes during testing, decrease in infection rates at condom distribution sites, etc.

Point: It is little known fact that condom usage does fail often because in many cultures men do not know how to use condoms correctly.

Counter Point: Basic visual instructions accompany most condom multi-packs and are very helpful.  Also, many testing and prevention programs include “how to use a condom” demonstrations.

Point: Mass distribution of condoms is not the problem.  The US government, international health organizations and national and local governments distribute millions of condoms a year. There is no need for a new effort.

Counter Point: Shortages of condoms have been reported all over the world and accessibility is a real issue. Marketing, packaging and product desirability are important for successful widespread use.

Point: Condom distribution programs offend faith-based organizations and some religious-leaning governments, and to promote such programs risks offending potential government partners.

Counter Point: We must look at HIV/AIDS control from a public health standpoint and with no intention to offend.  But, offense is sometimes unavoidable when trying to save lives. The time is now to end the dominance of religion over public health and science. Condoms must become a priority once again -- because it about preventing HIV, preventing suffering and saving lives.