(This post is from Abdulrahman, a youth activist in Nigeria.)

Just the other day l was listening to a show on the radio, and the presenters were talking about a recent campaign announcement in South Africa to be effected from the 15^th of April 2010. It is for the distribution of 2.5billion free condom and promotion of HIV free testing for 15million South Africans. The two presenters had different positions about the issues. One was in support of the campaign and thought it was a good initiative to promote safer sex, while the other thought it can only promote promiscuity among young people and that it wasn’t the best choice. He thought it was safer to promote only abstinence for young people and faithfulness among married partners. He went further to say that promotion and free distribution of condom would only promote promiscuity and immorality in the country (referring to Nigeria).

The callers on the show had different opinions about the issues but one thing that was evident was that promoting safer sex in the country would need the support of all stakeholder i.e. adequate sensitization of Parent, children, policy makers, government agencies, faith-based organizations, NGOs and the general populace. The cultural beliefs has served both as a source of hope in the area of “no sex before marriage”  and impediment for preaching inadequate information for the different options for safer sex like it is seen in some faith based organization that promote condom as not an option to safer sex. I know it might be hard to separate religious beliefs from professionalism especially been a Christian myself, but there is the need to recognized the essence of values, clarifying individual values and sentiments, so that we can leave the decision to individuals.

Our Job as professional is to provide adequate and unbiased information to help the individual make an informed decision because life in itself is all about choices. If we must make progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS, STIs and unplanned pregnancies, we need to promote all options and let every individual have all the right information they need so they can be responsible for there choices. There is no where in the world where half-truth would work as an option. The situation in the developed countries were we have very low incidence of HIV/AIDS, STIs and unplanned pregnancies was a result of adequate information dissemination which include  correct and consistent use of condoms for prevention.

The argument of condom promoting promiscuity cannot be substantiated; it is just more of a sentimental view compared to the reality on ground. I mean, let be sincere with ourselves, are we saying people are not having unsafe sex anyway despite the non-promotion of condom usage? Are we saying promiscuity is not around us still? Statistics show that young people still have the highest rate of new infection and they belong to the most vulnerable group, so promotion is just one of the strategies to mediate against the menace. There is need for all stakeholders to come together as a unifying force with one message in order to raise the glimmer of hope in our bid to combating the diseases and definitely, the faith-based institutions have a vital role to play in the fight against HIV and STIs.