| In the first ever national event intended to | | | | world's most populous nation that is Muslim, |
| promote condom use, Indonesia is attempting | | | | this had been met with great stigma. The |
| to make it plain that condoms should always | | | | leaders of the movement say that they don't |
| be used. In an attempt to curb unwanted | | | | want to force the Muslim leaders to promote |
| pregnancies and sexually transmitted | | | | condoms themselves and endorse their use - |
| diseases, Jarkata and other communities in | | | | but they do want to give the medical |
| Indonesia are participating in a condom | | | | arguments for condom use to these leaders, in |
| campaign. | | | | hopes that they will understand for |
| | | | themselves how important condoms are in this |
| National Condom Week will coincide with | | | | nation. There is also a belief that the safe |
| December 1st, which is World AIDS Day. The | | | | sex education itself is going to help curb |
| National Family Planning Board is overseeing | | | | the spread of HIV. This comes after a the |
| the condom week, which is a groundbreaking | | | | World Health Organization announced in |
| event for Indonesia. It will involve the | | | | February that Indonesia had one of the |
| distribution of condoms, the education of | | | | fastest growing populations with HIV in the |
| condom use, information about how to have sex | | | | entire world. |
| safely, and other events which are all aimed | | | | |
| at trying to get rid of the stigma of condom | | | | By having Condom Week, the National Family |
| use in Indonesia. | | | | Planning Board is hoping that more |
| | | | Indonesians will become educated about what |
| The problem with condoms in Indonesia is that | | | | exactly safe sex means, and what danger is |
| thus far they have only been promoted as | | | | truly posed by the spread of HIV and AIDS. |
| family planning tools. The social environment | | | | There is a lot of knowledge that is not |
| in Indonesia has been unsupportive of the use | | | | correct which many people learn from each |
| of condoms, and there is a great amount of | | | | other and even from doctor figures. Helping |
| ignorance as to the other things that condoms | | | | educate the population about these diseases |
| can do. Along with a general low awareness of | | | | and prevent them is a tremendous milestone |
| safe sex and how important it is, these | | | | for this country. They are hoping that from |
| factors have led to condoms only being used | | | | the events that will be nation-wide during |
| by one percent of those people who want to | | | | that week, more people will learn the truth |
| prevent pregnancy. Their use for other | | | | about these diseases, and how easy they would |
| reasons, such as stopping HIV and AIDS and | | | | be to control if safe sex practices were |
| other diseases is almost nonexistent. | | | | better adopted and more widely used. It is |
| | | | the hope of this board and the other people |
| The event is going to be aimed at making | | | | who are in support of the Condom Week that |
| condoms more popular, and at giving the | | | | more people will recognize condoms as being |
| people their own tools to protect against | | | | helpful and will hopefully begin to use them |
| getting pregnant and getting diseases. In the | | | | more. |