Population Action International

The "ABCs" of HIV/AIDS Prevention

Worldwide, 40 million people are living with HIV or AIDS, almost half of whom are women and a full third are young people aged 15-24.

And yet infection by HIV can be avoided. All that is required is for all people everywhere to be given the information, education, skills and full access to the ways they need to protect themselves and others. Male and female condoms are an essential component of such efforts and expanding and improving condom promotion and distribution are absolutely vital to success in the fight against the spread of AIDS. While condoms are necessary for the success of HIV/AIDS prevention efforts, they are by no means sufficient. Overall success is dependent on strong political leadership, appropriate funding, supportive policies, and well-planned and coordinated programs that work to influence attitudes and change behaviors and that provide the necessary services and supplies. And in every arena, the active participation of civil Society actors, including non-governmental organizations.

To be effective, HIV/AIDS prevention programs must include a range and mix of interventions tailored to the specific needs of various localities and groups, especially those at higher risk of infection. The range must include promotion of the “ABCs” of prevention: abstinence, being faithful to one’s partner, and condom use by the sexually active. And the mix of interventions must always include condoms.

Condoms have played a key role in those places where HIV prevention efforts have been successful in reducing prevalence and infection rates. In concert with very public support by the country’s political leadership, Uganda’s emphasis on interpersonal communication among family members and friends yielded increases in condom use, a significant decrease in the number of non-regular partners (especially among those never married), and a reduction in the proportion of sexually active males among those aged 15-19. Senegal, with a tradition of active community involvement in health and development issues, had networks in place when AIDS surfaced. Religious leaders delivered sermons about HIV, making a major contribution to the success of the national program. In Thailand, health service providers traveled to villages to educate community members about HIV, with the involvement of Buddhist monks and traditional healers. Both Thailand and Brazil illustrate the positive effects of condom promotion and increased use.

The fight against HIV/AIDS requires significant changes not only in public policy, but also in individual attitudes, behaviors and in societal norms.

  • Individuals need to understand and accept their risk of infection.
  • Programs must promote a range of safer sex behaviors in order to succeed
  • Young people require special attention, both in and out of school.
  • Public sector and social marketing programs can channel free and subsidized condoms to the poor, while the private sector accommodates people who can afford to pay more for condoms.
  • Diversifying points of distribution, including use of non-traditional outlets, can maximize the reach of prevention programs.
  • Expansion of prevention programs, including condom distribution, to rural areas is vital, as HIV has almost everywhere spread into even the most remote regions.
  • Strong logistical systems are a prerequisite to the timely delivery, constant flow, and appropriate storage and shipping of high quality condoms.
  • The donor community must provide the necessary financial and technical resources to support the availability, accessibility, and quality of condoms.

Key Recommendations

  • Male and female condoms should be available to everyone who needs them when and wherever they want them. If cigarettes can get to the remotest corners of the Earth, so can condoms. AIDS is everywhere and the means for protection from HIV infection must also be there.
  • More money, effectively used, is key to making AIDS prevention programs — including condom promotion and distribution — work.
  • Unwavering commitment to preventing HIV, at the highest levels of government and society, has been key in countries such as Thailand, Uganda, Brazil and Senegal that have had success against the spread of HIV/AIDS.