daniel chigunwe
Fungai Lupande Mashonaland Central Bureau
The Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council (ZNFPC) has expressed concern over the low uptake of female condoms and soaring cases of gender-based violence emanating from women’s demand for safe sex in Mashonaland Central.
ZNFPC provincial marketing and communications officer Mr Percival Kushure said last year they distributed 375 861 male condoms against 30 559 female ones.
He said the disparity could be caused by acceptance of male initiated products by women due to patriarchy.
“Female condoms complement the male one and also work similarly,” said Mr Kashure. “We are raising awareness about this to communities so that they embrace the female condom. The female condom offers negotiation power to women and promote safe sex.”
Mr Arab Majavala from Chisungo Men’s Network Forum said they were working together with ZNFPC to encourage men to support all family planning methods, including the control pill, jadelle, loop, sayana press and condom.
“We want men to appreciate that condoms, both female and male, are the best protection against sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy,” he said.
“We are witnessing a low uptake of the female condom due to lack of information on how to use it. This could be as a result of the late introduction of the female condom compared to the male one.
“We are encouraging couples to communicate and come up with amicable solutions to problems. People should speak out on their needs and wants.”
Mr Majavala said most GBV programming targeted women, leaving out men who are now failing to cope with the empowered female counterpart.
“Men are empowered economically, but they don’t know how to deal with emotional issues and GBV,” he said.
“We need to also empower the men such that when they make economic decisions, they are also capable of making decisions on GBV, HIV/AIDS and family planning.
“For a long time, men were perpetrators of GBV, but now they are coming in as partners. We are distributing condoms in mining claims and sites to encourage safe sex despite shortage of resources.”
Online Reporter