<strong> <a href="http://careandhealed.com/2009/12/world-aids-day/">WORLD AIDS DAY, WORLD CONDOMS DAY?</a></strong><p><span class="rdetector_placeholder_before"></span> <div style="padding:1.2em;background-color:#HEX_HERE;line-height:1.4;"> <img src="http://careandhealed.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/World-Aids-Condom-Day-267x300.jpg" alt="World Aids Day, Worls Condoms Day?" title="World Aids Day, Worls Condoms Day?" width="267" height="300" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-1169" />Desember 1st is commemorated as World AIDS Day, firstly established by WHO in 1998. It reminds us about how serious we are in fighting with HIV/AIDS. It is common to hold memorials to honor persons who have died from HIV/AIDS on this day. AIDS has killed more than 25 million people between 1981 and 2007, and an estimated 33.2 million people worldwide live with HIV as of 2007, making it one of the most destructive epidemics in recorded history. Despite recent, improved access to antiretroviral treatment and care in many regions of the world, the AIDS epidemic claimed an estimated 2 million lives in 2007, of which about 270,000 were children. </p> <p>There are a quite usual habit when people want to commemorate this day. You can find that local government would like to give out condoms, including local government in Indonesia. I can’t mention which place because there are many places in Indonesia do that such thing.</p> <p>Why give out condoms? There’re quite good explanations given by <strong><a href="http://www.ucc.org/ucan/why-give-out-condoms.html" title="Ucaninc.org">Ucaninc.org</a></strong>. Let’s see. </p> <p><em></p> <ol> <li>We give out condoms because it sends the right message: <strong>Loving carefully is a moral responsibility</strong>.</li> <li>The practice of safer sex behavior is a matter of life and death. By making condoms available we are saying we have “<strong>chosen life, so that we and our children may live</strong>.”</li> <li>Human beings are sexual beings. Sex is a gift from God, to be shared with love and responsibility. In a world with HIV/AIDS, <strong>safer sex is a more loving and responsible</strong> – toward oneself and one’s partner – than unprotected sex.</li> <li>People must have accurate safer sex information and access to <strong>the means of protection</strong>.  Condom availability does not “promote” sexual activity, but is an important part of sex education that promotes honesty in sexual relationships and acknowledges that people do have choices about their sexual behavior.  Information is critical to being able to make responsible, informed decisions.</li> <li>Abstinence and monogamy are affirmed as behaviors individuals may choose.  No matter the age or sexual experience of the person choosing it, abstinence is always a viable choice.  However, when people make other choices, we affirm <strong>safer sexual behavior in order to save lives</strong>.</li> <li><strong>Young people should be able to get their sex education from their families</strong>. But the fact is that most young people learn about sex from their peers, who are often ill informed and confused themselves.  Many adults feel uncomfortable talking about sex. Many pastors feel ill-equipped to discuss sex openly. Many young people have no adult role models who will engage them in informed discussion about sexual behavior and choices.</li> <li><strong>Condoms are educational tools</strong>.  Their presence in our educational displays provides opportunities to open conversations that can save lives.  It encourages questions and discussions with our staff and volunteers who are prepared to respond with factual and up-to-date information. The condoms are a sign that we take sexuality seriously as a part of human life and that we endorse all options for preventing HIV infection. </li> </ol> <p></em></p> <p>Okay, before commentating about those explanations above, I’d like to find out about since when this habit started. Or may be it’s not just a habit, but actually it’s a program. It’s <a href="http://www.givewell.net/international/technical/programs/condom-distribution" title="Condom Promotion and Distribution Program">a condom promotion and distribution to prevent HIV/AIDS program.</a> </p> <p>There’s a good site written in Indonesian Language. It told us about <a href="http://www.kesrepro.info/?q=node/434" title="100% condom usage program in Asia">100% condom usage program in Asia</a>. At first, this program was a join-program between local government and all sex entertainment doers (owners, pimps, and prostitutes) to decrease the amount of HIV and STD infected-human by ensuring the using of condom in every sexual activity. In other word, “No condom, No sex.” This program was pioneered by Thailand in 1989, and next implemented in other asian countries such as Cambodia, Vietnam, China, Myanmar, Philippines, Mongolia, and Laos Republic. Thailand and Cambodia established this program as a National Program. </p> <p>When we know that prostitution is illegal, but we can’t let them get infected by HIV. That’s the moral message from us who really care about human health. Then, let me bring you to the explanation number 1 : <em>We give out condoms because it sends the right message: Loving carefully is a moral responsibility</em>. Now, I ask you, do you have any responsibilities for this illegal prostitution? If you don’t have any, so why do you want to give out condoms to them? May be you don’t want to aim the prostitutes, but the youth people such as Junior and Senior High School students. Who do you think they are? Other prostitutes? Why do you give condoms to them? What do you expect them to do? Say again, expect what? I ask this because since the first program, it was aimed to the all sex entertainment doers. Honestly, each time I see these give-out condoms activities, it’s some kind of a joke. The joke is on us.</p> <p>As a doctor and person, I don’t see this program would be a good choice, but the better one would be in progress. I’ll explain next. I’d rather not like to read “No condom, No sex”. It assumes whenever you have condom, you are free to do sex. I would not be the one who say, “Do a safe sex. Use this condom. If not works, you can come to visit me, and I’ll give you a prescription.” Don’t bother to give them condoms. They can buy ones. </p> <p>Please continue your reading. </p> <p>(continue to <strong><a href="http://careandhealed.com/2009/12/are-condoms-education-tools">Are Condoms Education or Allusion Tools?</a></strong>)</p> </div> <input type="hidden" id="rdetector_data" value="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" name="rdetector_data" /><span class="rdetector_placeholder_after"></span> </p> <!-- Facebook Comments for WordPress: http://pleer.co.uk/wordpress/plugins/facebook-comments/ --><div class="fbcomments"><h3>Comments</h3><p><fb:comments-count href=http://careandhealed.com/2009/12/world-aids-day/></fb:comments-count> comments</p><div class="fbcommentbox"><fb:comments href="http://careandhealed.com/2009/12/world-aids-day/" num_posts="10" width="450" colorscheme="light" ></fb:comments></div><p>Powered by <a href="http://pleer.co.uk/wordpress/plugins/facebook-comments/">Facebook Comments</a></p></div> <p>Related posts:</p><ol><li><a href='http://careandhealed.com/2009/12/are-condoms-education-tools/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: ARE CONDOMS EDUCATION OR ALLUSION TOOLS?'>ARE CONDOMS EDUCATION OR ALLUSION TOOLS?</a></li> <li><a href='http://careandhealed.com/2009/10/swine-flu-in-indonesia-unfolding-the-facts-part4/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Swine Flu in Indonesia : Unfolding the Facts — (Part 4)'>Swine Flu in Indonesia : Unfolding the Facts — (Part 4)</a></li> <li><a href='http://careandhealed.com/2009/10/swine-flu-in-indonesia-unfolding-the-facts-part5/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Swine Flu in Indonesia : Unfolding the Facts — (Part 5)'>Swine Flu in Indonesia : Unfolding the Facts — (Part 5)</a></li> <li><a href='http://careandhealed.com/2009/10/swine-flu-in-indonesia-unfolding-the-facts-part6/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Swine Flu in Indonesia : Unfolding the Facts — (Part 6)'>Swine Flu in Indonesia : Unfolding the Facts — (Part 6)</a></li> <li><a href='http://careandhealed.com/2011/11/penyakit-penyakit-yang-ditularkan-melalui-hewan-i/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Penyakit-Penyakit Yang Ditularkan Melalui Hewan (I)'>Penyakit-Penyakit Yang Ditularkan Melalui Hewan (I)</a></li> </ol><br> <div style="border: 2px dashed #C2C2C2;padding: 3px;background: #FFFFFF;padding:7px;"> This article is published by <a href="http://careandhealed.com">http://careandhealed.com</a>. You are permitted to republished this article by giving credit to the link source.</div>