50% of SFH’s programme beneficiaries are the poor.

50% of rural pregnant women and children under 5 sleep under long lasting insecticide treated nets in at least two focus states.
Modern contraceptive prevalence rate increases from 11% to 16%.

Consistent condom use among high risk groups increases by 20%.

SFH MISSION

Society for Family Health has a mission to empower Nigerians, particularly the poor and vulnerable to lead healthier lives...more 

It is clear from studies and surveys carried out in Nigeria that there is the urgent need for additional effective dual protection prevention methods to protect women and couples from STIs, HIV and unintended pregnancy. Similar findings can be seen in countries all over sub-Saharan Africa. This suggests the need for additional products to increase the method mix. The female condom is an effective female-initiated method that can make a major contribution to prevention efforts globally.  

The Universal Access to the Female Condom Joint Programme (UAFC) is an ambitious programme that aims to make female condoms widely available by supporting a range of activities including advocacy, support for female condom programming and research and development (R&D).  A partnership between four organisations (OxfamNovib, World Population Foundation, I+solutions and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs), the global UAFC programme has already secured funding from a range of donors. The R&D component is focusing on activities that will reduce the cost and promote choice through support to the development of new and emerging female condoms designs. Country programme activities include providing support for large scale female programming in Nigeria among other countries with plans to expand even further in the near future.

UAFC IN NIGERIA

In Nigeria, the UAFC programme has been set up with certain core components, which are

1.     Demand creation activities in Edo, Lagos and Delta states

2.     Supply chain management for nationwide distribution and

3.     The inclusion of the female condom in existing programmes and health services.

The purpose of the UAFC project in Nigeria is to

• increase demand for the female condom, as this is currently not a well known product, with only 13% of persons having heard of the female condom, and much fewer having ever used one. SFH is implementing community level interventions with women and men in three states (Edo, Lagos and Delta) in Nigeria through civil society and community based organisations (CBOs)
• make female condoms widely available at convenient places, at all times and at an affordable price through social marketing techniques. SFH is currently distributing the Elegance® brand of female condoms nationwide.
• document the experiences with the introduction of the female condom, and making this information available through experiential learning and linking.
• encourage the public acceptation of the female condom as a commodity that enables women exercise their sexual and reproductive rights through innovative mass media campaigns and advocacy to key community and opinion leaders.

SFH commenced implementation of the UAFC programme in Nigeria in 2008, and as sold over 300,000 female condoms over the past 2 years. Plans are ongoing for further expansion of community level activities in additional states. Distribution of products is presently ongoing nationwide.

For further information on the UAFC global programme click http://www.condoms4all.org/section/1/UAFC

Click below to see an article by Victoria Archibong, the UAFC programme coordinator in Nigeria.  http://www.condoms4all.org/newsarticle/172/Interview_with_Victoria_Archibong%2C_SFH

For more information on the female condom go to http://www.fc2femalecondom.com/