Condoms Count on Valentine's Day

WASHINGTON, DC - January 14, 2003

On the most amorous day of the year, the world’s richest nations are being encouraged to say, "We love you" to the planet’s near three billion young people. Not with cards and candies, but by guaranteeing the world’s youth access to reproductive health services including condoms and condom education as an essential method of protection from HIV.

The call from Population Action International comes at a time when half of new HIV infections every year are people under the age of twenty five.

"We spend billions on Valentine’s Day — $1.59 billion for candy alone. Shouldn’t we be spending as much and more on helping our young people — particularly in the developing world — to better protect themselves against HIV?" says Amy Coen, President of Population Action International (PAI).

Condoms have been used since ancient times — and were around many years before the invention of Valentine’s Day. Today, at a cost of around 3 cents each, they are one of the cheapest and best ways to save lives, prevent unwanted pregnancies and fight the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

President Bush made the fight against HIV/AIDS a welcome priority in his State of the Union. But will his plan — and the plans of other world leaders — advance universal access to condoms and condom education as an essential way to halt the spread of HIV?

PAI’s 2002 report Condoms Count: Meeting the Need in the Era of HIV/AIDS, shows that they must. At the very minimum, 8 billion condoms were needed in 2000 in the developing world and Eastern Europe to start having an impact on HIV levels. Yet donors provided only 950,000,000 condoms — an eighth of what was needed.

The study also illustrates that in places as diverse as Thailand and Senegal, access to condoms and condom education has proven to be a key ingredient in the prevention campaigns which have successfully slowed the spread of HIV.

"While candy and cards help to spread love on Valentine’s Day, condoms and condom education help to halt to spread of HIV 365 days a year. We need more, now," urges Coen.

Population Action International (PAI) works to improve individual well-being and preserve global resources by mobilizing political and financial support for population, family planning and reproductive health policies and programs.