Firstly, condoms are rarely used as forms of protection during sex. Instead, birth control pills are used to protect females from impregnanting. This raises the question that condoms in our society are still regarded as a form of preventing unwarranted pregnancies and NOT as a form of protection from acquiring and/or infecting STDs. The message that condoms are essential in protecting ourselves from diseases is not being widely and properly disseminated through society. As long as condoms aren't being used alongside with birth control pills, uninformed partners will continue to catch and pass along infectious diseases unwittingly.
Secondly, the gender demarcations in our society leave informed females powerless to persuade their male partners to wear condoms. Again, the power bestowed upon males makes them the lead decision-maker in sexual pursuits as well. In several cases, females (some of them living with HIV/AIDS) state their partners' (husbands, boyfriends, clients) refusal to use condoms caused them to become infected.
Thirdly, men's refusal to use condoms brings the danger of STDs closer to home. Again cases have shown that men, unknowingly, who have multiple sexual relations beyond their marriages/relationships tend to infect their wives/girlfriends with STDs by their refusal to use condoms. Undoubtedly this form of ignorant and irresponsible behaviour increases the chances of infectious sexual diseases rapidly plaguing the population.
Unfortunately, the UNAIDS report presented the problems but gave no precise solutions. One urgent message would be to effectiively disseminate the use of condoms throughout the social sphere. That is, ensure the message of promoting condom usage reaches males and females in grass-roots level. The usage of condoms alone will have an impact in lessening the flow of STDs in our society.
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