Maverick Indonesia

National Condom Week 2007

First, some facts:

There are 10,384 people who are registered as living with HIV/AIDS. As many as 2,287 of fellow living with HIV/AIDS have died. And this is only the tip of the iceberg as they are reported cases. The number of unreported people living with HIV/AIDS is estimated to be between 176,000-247,000 people. Some are married, some are planning to get married. - Ministry of Health, Republic of Indonesia

Housewives and babies are living with HIV/AIDS - Dr. Nafsiah Mboi, Secretary of National AIDS Commission (KPA)

Illegal abortion has reached 3 million per year - Dr. Sugiri MPH, Head of National Family Planning Coordinating Board (BKKBN).

Bearing these facts in mind, the KPA and BKKBN will hold a National Condom Week 2007 (siaran-pers-pekan-kondom-nasional-2007.pdf) from 1-8 December 2007. Why condom? Well, there are three ways to prevent getting sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV/AIDS: (A) Abstinence, (B) Be Faithful and (C) Use a Condom. Since promoting Abstinence and Faithfulness is not very sexy, the Condoms have the vote.

Coordinated by DKT Indonesia, a non-profit organization that focuses in social marketing for HIV/AIDS prevention and family planning, National Condom Week aims to reduce any stigma against condom use and provide better understanding that condom can save lives. Also to reduce the misperception that condom use encourages free, promiscuous sex.

For the week, DKT Indonesia will coordinate activities such as condom giveaways along with educational materials, trainings, demonstrations on condom use, musical concert, talk show, and appreciations to those who have been showing commitments to HIV/AIDS in Indonesia. Another agenda would be writing and photo competitions (penghargaan-karya-tulis-dan-foto.pdf) for journalists, photojournalists, and BLOGGERS with the topic “Condom Saves Lives” starting 12 Nov to 5 Dec 2007.

(Disclosure: Maverick works with DKT to help promote National Condom Week 2007).