Share

The case for condoms in schools

Persons aged 15 to 24 account for 34% of all new HIV infections in South Africa and have an HIV prevalence of 10.3%, statistics that are fuelling the debate on whether to distribute condoms in schools.

According to Juliana Han (Harvard Law School, and Michael Bennish (Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, both affiliated with the South African nongovernmental health organisation Mpilonhle, the rights afforded by the new Children's Act reflect a growing concern over the need to prevent HIV in the country's youth.

The act, which came into effect in 2007, grants children 12 years and older a host of rights relating to reproductive health, including the right to access condoms. But current policies allow individual schools to decide whether or not to give out condoms - policies that two researchers, in PLoS Medicine, say could damage the health of the country's youth.

"Despite the high incidence of HIV in adolescents and the efficacy of condoms in preventing HIV transmission, condom use rates among adolescents remain low, due at least in part to limited access," they say.

Many unaware of policy regarding condom provision
One way to increase condom access for this group would be to make condoms available in schools. The act, together with government policies, allows individual schools to decide whether to distribute condoms. Most school staff, say the authors, are unaware of the policy and regulations governing condom provision in schools.

"Because of confusing and contradictory government policies and public pronouncements regarding provision of condoms in public schools, few schools have undertaken to provide condoms, leaving students, especially in rural areas, with few options for obtaining them."

The authors acknowledge that making condoms available in schools is a socially divisive issue. Critics believe that making contraception available encourages sexual activity. But proponents cite the early age of sexual debut and the futility of HIV prevention education that encourages condom use, but fails to actually provide condoms.

The researchers' own work with Mpilonhle, in which they interviewed teachers, parents, and students in rural northern KwaZulu-Natal, the province with the highest HIV prevalence, suggests there is generally support for the distribution of condoms in schools, but confusion about governmental policy.

Condom access for adolescents is also restricted by some of the funding agencies that support HIV prevention efforts. The US President's Emergency Plan for Aids (Pepfar), under former president George W. Bush, for example, which allocated US$398 million to South African HIV/Aids programs in 2007, prohibits use of these funds for distributing condoms in schools or for providing condom information to youth aged 14 years and under. Pepfar's policy conflicts with South African law. – (EurekAlert, January 2009)

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE