FC & FC2 Female Condom
I N D I A
An estimated 5.1 million Indian people were living with HIV in 2003 with a significant proportion of new infections occurring in women who are married and who have been infected by their husbands. HIV prevalence of over 1% has been found in pregnant women in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra,
Tamil Nadu, Manipur and Nagaland. Transmitted mainly through unprotected sex in the south and injecting drug use in the north-east of the country, HIV is spreading beyond urban areas. At the same time, HIV prevalence among India’s estimated 4 million sex workers is as high as 60% in some cities, according to India’s national AIDS Control Organization.
Personal and supportive introduction of FC fosters self confidence
and successful use for women in India. (Click image to enlarge.)
Surveillance in 2003 found 14% of commercial sex workers in Karnataka and 19% in Andhra Pradesh were infected with HIV. A recent finding that 26% of sex workers in the city of Mysore (Karnataka) were HIV-positive is not surprising given that just 14% of the women used condoms consistently with clients and that 91% of them never used condoms during sex with their regular partners. (Reza-Paul, 2005).
The introduction of FC female condom in 2001 aimed to add the first female-initiated method of protection to the options available for Indian women, and to offer a new choice in the delicate discussions and negotiations of condom use by married couples, women and men selling sex, and men who have sex with other men.
Since then, a number of research and acceptability studies have been conducted in some of the high prevalence states, including an Acceptability & Feasibility Study conducted by FHC and Hindustan Latex Family Planning Trust and completed in 2002.
HLL, State AIDS Control and FHC staff at an NGO
training
workshop, Kerala, India. (Click image to enlarge.)
HLPPT Research Brochure
Final Research Summary
Summary of Project activities
Key Findings
Bringing FC Manufacturing to India—The Business Linkages Challenge Fund—At the same time, FHC and Hindustan Latex Limited, with support from the DFiD-funded Business Linkages Challenges Fund have formed a unique partnership to facilitate the transfer of manufacturing technology of FC in-country to India. Plans are underway for the establishment of a manufacturing facility in southern India where FC can be cost-effectively produced and distributed.
A number of NGOs have recognized the urgent need for female condoms among high-risk groups in India. Population Services International, PSI, (See website link below.) has been working with female sex workers in Mumbai, a city with an estimated 25,000-50,000 sex workers. Under The Light House Project, PSI has introduced Rishtaa female condoms with female sex workers, with an emphasis on involving the regular, or sweetheart, partners of sex workers—where male condom use is extremely low and difficult to negotiate. (Rishtaa presentation can be found under Resources/Materials, below.)
At the same time, FHF and HLFPPT continue to work with both the national and selected state governments, UN agencies, NGOs and donors to ensure the timely introduction of female condoms in India’s National AIDS Prevention program and the national reproductive health programs. Press coverage has been widespread and supportive to bring FC to Indian women. (See below.)
RESOURCES / MATERIALS
Case Study: FC female condom in India 
Hindustan Latex Limited & Female Condom Company Animation Movies for Trainers:
Click on Image to go to the Main Menu for Animation.
All are in Hindi and only the 1st segment has an option for English.
Segments include:
Vaginal Insertion
Female Negotiating Female Condom Usage
Male Negotiating Female Condom Usage
Female Sex Worker Negotiating FC Usage with Client
Technical Information Movie (News Briefing) on Female Condom
Rishtaa
Female Condom package
(Click image to enlarge.)
Presentation--Rishtaa Female Condom (PDF) 
National Consultation Workshop on Female Condoms, organized by NACO (Draft Report--PDF). 
The Need for Female Condoms and Dual Protection in India. Remarks by Avni Amni, PhD., Senior Program Associate, CHANGE. Center for Health and Gender Equity. 
Senator Hillary Clinton lauds India's fight against AIDS. NACO News. March 2005.
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India
Female Condoms to be part of AIDS control programme. Indo-Asia News Service. February 2005. 
Introduction of Female Condoms in India. South Asian Women's Forum. March 2001. 
Selection of pictures from training sessions:
ORGANISATIONS
The organisations below provide instructions, advice, articles and general information on the female condom. Using the provided links, you can access the home page for the organisation and use available search tools to locate available resources on the female condom.
National AIDS Control Organization (NACO)
(Website banner)
Locate the search field to access materials specific to the female condom:
Ministry of Health and Welfare
(Website Banner)
Department of Family Welfare, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India
http://mohfw.nic.in/dofw%20website/dofw.htm
in particular the Draft Strategy Social Marketing of Contraceptives
http://mohfw.nic.in/dofw%20website/draft%20strategy/draft-main.htm
Center for Health & Gender Equity (CHANGE)
(Website banner)
Hindustan Latex Limited (HLL)
(Website banner)
Hindustan Latex Family Planning Promotion Trust (HLFPPT)
(Website banner)
South Asian Women's Forum
(Website banner)
