Condom Day is a cooperation between Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS), National Centre for Aids and STD Control (NCSC) and United Nations Family Planning Association (UNFPA). This year’s slogan was ”Universal access to condoms for dual protection”. “In Nepal there is taboo connected with buying and using condoms, and this is a good way to break down some of these conceptions,” Dwarika Maharjan, one of the volunteers in Nepal Red Cross, tells us.
 

No glove – no love!

The day started with a big rally through the streets of Kathmandu. The volunteers carried banners with different slogans in both Nepali and English. Two examples are:” No glove – no love” and ”Don’t be a fool - vulcanize your tool”. Throughout the rally, information brochures and condoms were handed out to the public. 10 000 condoms was handed out in Kathmandu alone.

Speeches, Street drama and Condom Demonstrations

The rally ended with speeches by representatives of the government and different NGO’s, hiv positives and sexworkers. There was also a street drama about the use of condoms. Throughout the day there were condomdemonstrations and promotion of the femidom. According to Bipul Neupane, responsible for hiv and aids in the youth department of NRCS, this is an important aspect since many people know of the condom but not how to use it properly. The demonstration stand was constantly surrounded by many people, though mostly male observers.

A step in the right direction

“Many in Nepal, especially the elder, still look on the condom as something wrong and dirty,” Bipul says. The fast spreading of hiv makes it even more important to make awareness around the subject for both youths and grown-ups. There have been many positive results from the celebration of Condom Day. Condoms have become more accessible in stores and free at health clinics, and it has successfully opened the eyes of government officials. Even though this day is contributing in making condoms more accessible and accepted, there is still a long way to go before everyone has access to condoms and know how to use them.