India to market female condoms

The Tamil Nadu central government, in collaboration with the Hindustan Latex and the National Aids Control Organisation (NACO) began a nationwide initiative in October to provide female condoms at just Rs.3 to NGOs working with female sex workers.

“It is for the first time that a government (the Tamil Nadu government) is supporting such a pilot project,” TANSACS project director Supriya Sahu told IANS.

“We are looking at the reproductive rights of women directly. Most women do not have this right to choose. This is a HIV-AIDS prevention tool under a woman’s control,” she said. “For the first time, a woman will have a preventive tool in her own hand.”

“We will monitor and make public our findings on acceptability, usage and efficacy by April in a report,” said Sahu. TANSACS will also reach female condoms to another 800,000 women through self-help groups, she added.