Barriers to condom access: Setting an advocacy agenda. ICASO advisory briefing.

This Advocacy Briefing provides an analysis of some of the barriers to condom access based on the findings from frontline community research supported by ICASO. This information was sourced from a community-led monitoring project undertaken in 2005 and 2006 assessing the implementation of the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS (UNGASS) Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS. Community groups from 14 countries collected and analyzed data and information on the broad response to HIV and AIDS preparing country reports of the findings and the critical issues for communities in their country. In relation to condom access most of the analysis focused on male condoms with some community researchers including issues around female condoms. Given that this document relies mainly on this community analysis it does not purport nor aim to be a comprehensive analysis of all the barriers to condom access. However where necessary the analysis has been complemented with current bestpractices from the HIV prevention literature and additional input from consultations with community sector advocates. (excerpt)