The Road to Toronto – Condone or Condemn?
Washington, DC - May 1, 2006PAI praises Catholic Church leaders visibly supporting condom use to prevent HIV transmission, and hopes that public support of their recent statements – along with findings from the Vatican's current study on condoms and HIV – will prompt the Vatican to consider developing an official policy advocating condom use for HIV prevention.
According to news reports, Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini recently told an Italian newsweekly that "we must do everything to fight AIDS," and added that "the use of condoms can constitute in certain situations a lesser evil." His statement was backed last week by Portuguese Roman Catholic Bishop Antonio Moreira. The overwhelming majority of Catholics worldwide support the use of condoms to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, and the world is now watching to see if the Vatican will develop a position on condoms that responds to the public health realities of the epidemic and the needs of its constituency.
For many, using condoms means the difference between life and death. Condoms are critical for married couples where one partner is HIV-positive, and for married couples where one or both partners are unfaithful or unaware of their HIV status. South African Bishop Kevin Dowling recently told the Washington Post that he began believing in condom use after working with economically-vulnerable women in the slums of South Africa who engage in "survival sex" to support themselves and their families. In countries where the epidemic has spread to the general population, anyone engaging in sexual activity is at high risk for contracting HIV, especially young people.
PAI has documented the fact that policies and funding supporting condom use are critical to reducing HIV/AIDS. Given the long history of condom opposition from the Church, it may be unrealistic to expect a dramatic policy development to result from the Vatican's investigation. However, the Church's current position does not reflect the reality of its members' lives and, more importantly, can cause harm, even death. In addition to the growing number in the Catholic hierarchy recognizing this, an official Vatican policy condoning condom use would go a long way toward ending the scourge of HIV/AIDS.PAI praises Catholic Church leaders visibly supporting condom use to prevent HIV transmission, and hopes that public support of their recent statements – along with findings from the Vatican's current study on condoms and HIV – will prompt the Vatican to consider developing an official policy advocating condom use for HIV prevention.
According to news reports, Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini recently told an Italian newsweekly that "we must do everything to fight AIDS," and added that "the use of condoms can constitute in certain situations a lesser evil." His statement was backed last week by Portuguese Roman Catholic Bishop Antonio Moreira. The overwhelming majority of Catholics worldwide support the use of condoms to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, and the world is now watching to see if the Vatican will develop a position on condoms that responds to the public health realities of the epidemic and the needs of its constituency.
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.
