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Female condoms needed to empower women

The Ministry of Health will distribute six million condoms in the western district of Nakuru in an attempt to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, local newspaper The Nation reported on Tuesday. However, the Society for Women and AIDS in Kenya (SWAK) said it was informed by the government that no allowances had been made for the roll-out of female condoms. "Women in Kenya have no place for negotiation when it comes to sexual intercourse. The female condoms will help empower these women," SWAK assistant national coordinator, Mercy Wahome, told the UN news service PlusNews. Wahome said the group has lobbied at national and community levels for a country-wide introduction of the female condoms. "While there is still the problem of acceptability among the males, SWAK's efforts to educate women on the use of the female condom have been well received," Wahome added.

This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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