The female condom: tool for women's empowerment

Abstract

International and US experience with the female condom has shown that the device empowers diverse populations of women, helping them negotiate protection with their partners, promoting healthy behaviors, and increasing selfefficacy and sexual confidence and autonomy. This commentary reflects on some approaches that have been taken to study empowerment and makes several observations on the political and scientific initiatives needed to capitalize on this empowerment potential.Women's interest in the female condom indicates a need for more women's barrier methods to be made available. For some women, cultural proscriptions against touching the genitals may create initial hesitancy in trying these methods. But the disposition of regulatory agencies and the attitudes of health care providers has unfortunately exaggerated this reticence, thereby effectively reducing access to these methods. Also, lack of important detail in clinical studies restricts our capacity to introduce the female condom, or similar methods, under optimal conditions. Future trials should prioritize community-based designs and address a range of other critical health and social issues for women. Women's need for HIV/AIDS prevention technologies remains an urgent priority. Both political and scientific efforts are needed to realize the public health potential embodied in the female condom.

Promoting Female Condom Use Among Female University Students in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: Results of a Randomized Behavioral Trial

“…The FC has also been cited as an essential strategy for pregnancy and HIV/STI prevention by the World Health Organization[3]. A number of studies [4-7] and one review [8]suggest that concurrent availability of female and male condomsresults in higher rates of protected sex compared with only male condom availability.The FC affords women greater control over negotiating protection of their health[9]. …”

Efetividade de programa de agentes comunitários na promoção da saúde bucal

“…13 Household and interfamily relationships are usually the heart of a woman and interventions can produce positive effects on distinct areas of women's life as well as on families and the community. 10 Women's social interactions help promoting health practices either during health consultations or by information exchange between mothers and women at the family and community levels. 11 Age groups were chosen based on family life cycle, which follows a course of development with predominant roles and specifi c tasks.…”

“Real Men Don't”: Constructions of Masculinity and Inadvertent Harm in Public Health Interventions

“…24, 25 Public health intervention strategies increasingly aim to empower women and transform gender structures and power dynamics that inhibit women’s autonomy and harm their health. 26-28 Health promotion programs, as well as grassroots women’s movements, are empowering women to seek health care, 29 be treated as equals in the health care system, 30 have control over their own bodies, 31 earn their own money, 27 improve their educational status, 32 secure their land and inheritance rights, 33,34 increase their access to HIV testing and contraceptives, 35-37 and improve their decision-making power in romantic and sexual relationships. 38 …”