The defunding of condom social marketing programmes and decline in sales of socially marketed condoms in sub-Saharan Africa is emblematic of a decreased focus on condom demand generation, reduced emphasis on condoms in family planning services and weak stewardship of condom programmes since 2010, leaving the world far off the 90% target for condom use.
A new generation of sexually active young people has not been exposed to the intense condom promotion that was in place a decade ago. Condom use at last higher risk sex reported by young women (aged 15 to 24 years) declined in five countries in western and central Africa and three countries in eastern and southern Africa. Condom use at higher risk sex among men (aged 15 to 49 years) also declined in five out of nine countries (compared to the previous survey). The use of condoms across all of western and central Africa and eastern and southern Africa remains far too low.
