By Rhodine Kitandwe

International Condom Day is a global call to re-energize conversations about condoms as a vital tool for health, protection, and self-determination. Condoms are a simple, cost-effective, and proven means of enabling safer and healthier sexual experiences. They offer triple protection – preventing HIV, other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and unintended pregnancies.

On this International Condom Day, the Center for Health, Human Rights and Development (CEHURD) celebrates condoms as a symbol of informed choice, dignity, and bodily autonomy. We reaffirm our commitment to expanding access to information about condoms and providing accurate, honest, and rights-based sexual health education, in line with our mission to advance the health rights of vulnerable communities through litigation, advocacy, research, and empowerment.

Condoms as a Cornerstone of HIV/STI Prevention

Condoms remain one of the most effective and affordable HIV prevention tools available today. According to UNAIDS, condoms are approximately 98% effective at preventing HIV when used correctly and consistently, and their consistent uptake has helped avert an estimated 117 million new HIV infections since 1990. Condoms also significantly reduce the transmission of common STIs such as gonorrhea and chlamydia, while simultaneously preventing unintended pregnancies.

These facts underscore a simple truth: condoms are not merely a physical barrier, but a cornerstone of public health strategy. Their widespread and correct use contributes directly to reducing HIV transmission, lowering the burden of STIs, and preventing maternal health risks linked to unintended pregnancies, especially among adolescent girls and young women.

CEHURD’s work highlights this dual benefit. In our research on access to contraception in Uganda, we demonstrated that contraceptives such as condoms provide dual protection against both sexually transmitted infections and unplanned pregnancy. By promoting condom use, we not only protect lives but also safeguard women’s reproductive health. Indeed, every condom used correctly carries the potential to prevent disease, reduce harm, and preserve life.

Empowering Communities and Youth Through Education

Condoms are most effective when paired with accurate information and supportive environments. They empower individuals, especially young people, by giving them control over their own bodies, health, and futures. CEHURD emphasizes that access to accurate information is as important as the condom itself. During our community engagements, many young women shared that their greatest regret was never being taught about contraception, how to negotiate safe sex, or how to resist unsafe and coercive sexual encounters. Our research continues to show that limited access to age-appropriate information about sexual and reproductive health, especially among adolescents and young people, remains one of the barriers to using condoms and other contraceptives in Uganda. In practice, many young girls and boys in hard-to-reach areas often lack even the most basic facts about safe sex and HIV prevention.

We therefore strongly advocate for holistic education and meaningful youth participation that provide life skills and health education. CEHURD advocates that young people not only receive information about sexual and reproductive health and rights but are also involved in decisions affecting their lives and wellbeing. When equipped with knowledge and confidence, young people are better able to protect themselves and their peers. Through CEHURD’s peer educators and community health advocates, we regularly support adolescents and young adults to access services and make informed choices. One peer educator shared the story of a 21-year-old who bore six children in six years simply because no one had explained family planning options to her. This stark reality reminds us that silence and misinformation come at a high cost. Breaking the taboos around condoms and contraception through education must be universal, inclusive, and sustained to achieve the required impact.

Overcoming Barriers: Stigma, Inequality, and Access

Despite their proven effectiveness, condom use in Uganda remains constrained by persistent social, cultural, and structural barriers. Gender inequality often limits women’s ability to negotiate safer sex, particularly in relationships characterized by age, economic, or power imbalances. In some areas, harmful myths persist – for instance, beliefs that condoms reduce sexual pleasure or are a source of shame. In some cultural contexts, women are discouraged from refusing sex or requesting contraception, and condoms are framed as diminishing enjoyment, despite evidence to the contrary.

Religious and traditional norms sometimes label condoms as immoral, further entrenching stigma. The consequences are significant: only about 17% of Ugandans report using a condom during their last sexual encounter, compared to much higher rates in neighboring countries such as Kenya (67%) and Tanzania (47%). This low uptake represents a serious public health concern. CEHURD joins national, regional, and global partners in rejecting stigma and misinformation. We remind communities that using condoms is an act of responsibility and self-respect, not shame. Importantly, this is also the messaging of the Ugandan government, including its officials, informing the public that free government-supplied condoms are safe, effective, and freely available to everyone, encouraging their use without fear or stigma.

We reiterate that sexual health is a right, and no one should be coerced into sex without protection nor denied the means to protect themselves. We must all challenge punitive social norms, promote gender equity in relationships, and affirm the agency and value of women and girls as essential steps toward improving population health. In practice, this means educating both young men and women about consent, respect, and protection, while ensuring condoms are accessible regardless of income, location, age, or status.

Celebrating Global and Local Efforts

On this International Condom Day, we also take time to acknowledge the progress and collective efforts made. Globally, organizations like WHO and UNAIDS continue to work with governments and community groups to distribute free condoms, train health educators, and establish youth-friendly services.

In Uganda, both government and civil society have demonstrated leadership. National campaigns and public engagements have reaffirmed that the use of effective condoms is central to ending HIV. Health officials estimate that nearly half of the HIV infections averted in recent years are attributable to condom use, and condoms have contributed to a substantial reduction of about 59% in other STIs. The Government of Uganda has committed funding of one billion shillings toward sustaining condom procurement and ensuring a steady supply nationwide. Partners such as AHF Uganda Cares highlight that condoms can offer up to 95% protection against HIV and other STIs when used consistently and correctly.

These efforts – from grassroots initiatives to national-level commitments—are worth celebrating, and CEHURD is proud to stand alongside partners who champion condoms as a life-saving, rights-affirming public health tool.

Call to Action: Support, Educate, Empower

As we commemorate World Condom Day, CEHURD calls on all stakeholders to recommit to sexual and reproductive health and rights by taking the following actions:

• Policymakers should increase funding for free or low-cost condom distribution nationwide, integrate condom access into health policies and insurance schemes, and protect SRHR strategies informed by evidence-based programming.
• Healthcare workers and educators should provide non-judgmental and youth-friendly counseling, ensure condoms are available in all health facilities and outreach programs, and deliver age-appropriate, holistic education to youth.
• Civil society and the media should challenge misinformation, normalize positive messages about condom use, and amplify stories of healthy, respectful, and protective relationships.
• Young people and communities should demand accurate SRHR information, carry and use condoms without shame, and support one another in making safe choices.

Together, these actions can significantly reduce new HIV and STI infections and prevent unintended pregnancies, because condoms are a simple, affordable, and powerful tool.

Conclusion

The effective use of condoms is a simple yet powerful way to safeguard health, dignity, and choice. On this International Condom Day, CEHURD joins the global community in reaffirming our commitment to sexual and reproductive health and rights for all. We call on government, healthcare providers, educators, families, and young people to keep the conversation open, invest in condom access, and empower every individual with the knowledge they need to protect themselves. By doing so, we move closer to a Uganda where everyone, regardless of age, gender, or status, can live healthy, empowered lives free from fear of HIV, STIs, or unplanned pregnancy.

Let’s make every day a day to protect health, dignity, and the future of our communities.

The author is an advocacy officer at the Center for Health, Human Rights and Development.

Lessons from Agweng Sub-county, Lira District

With support from TASO Uganda, CEHURD has strengthened community-based organizations (CBOs) under the Resilient and Sustainable Systems for Health (RSSH) program, across multiple districts. These efforts have driven measurable gains in HIV and human rights outcomes.

CEHURD-supported CBOs have improved responses to violence, exclusion, and care barriers through stronger referral pathways, community mediation, and sustained follow-up. This has helped affected individuals regain access to health, protection, and social services. District-wide experiences like these provide vital context for the transformative lessons from Agweng Sub-county, Lira District – showing how investing in local actors builds resilient, community-led HIV and human rights initiatives.

Tackling Barriers in Agweng Sub-county

In Agweng Sub-county, HIV service access is hindered not just by distance to facilities, but by stigma, gender inequality, poverty, and ongoing human rights abuses. Orphans, vulnerable children, adolescent girls, and young women living with or at risk of HIV often face delayed care, loss to follow-up, and heightened vulnerability.

Under the Global Fund-supported GC6 RSSH Capacity Building Programme – implemented through TASO – CEHURD partnered with Fountain of Justice and Restoration (FOJAR) to fortify rights-based, community-led health responses. FOJAR’s journey underscores how targeted capacity building yields real health and human rights progress.

Through training, mentorship, and systems strengthening, FOJAR built expertise in integrated HIV prevention, care, and human rights work for hard-to-reach communities. Key gains included enhanced outreach, referrals, documentation, reporting, and partnerships with health facilities and local leaders.

FOJAR indirectly reached over 1,800 community members and directly served 800 beneficiaries – including orphans, vulnerable children, adolescent girls and young women, and people living with HIV. Services encompassed HIV testing, ART linkage, viral load monitoring, contact tracing, psychosocial support, and human rights education. These efforts boosted treatment adherence, curbed loss to follow-up, and expanded service uptake among marginalized groups.

Addressing Stigma, Abuse, and Exclusion

FOJAR’s strengthened capacity enabled swift action on complex cases of stigma, abuse, and exclusion, especially for children, adolescents, and young women affected by HIV.

A 15-year-old girl born with HIV and living with a disability lost her inheritance after her mother’s death and faced stepfamily rejection. FOJAR kept her in care at Abala Health Centre III while coordinating referrals for protection and welfare.

“After my mother died, everything meant for my future was taken away. I was told I did not belong. FOJAR helped me stay in treatment and followed up on my safety when I had nowhere else to turn.”
– Adolescent girl living with HIV, Agweng Sub-county

In Angolocom Parish, two adolescent sexual abuse survivors- now young mothers living with HIV -received treatment, psychosocial support, and sensitive disclosure after years of neglect. FOJAR’s community staff managed referrals and follow-up, proving the power of trusted local actors.

“We were abused and left without support. Before FOJAR came, no one helped us access care or understand our rights.” – Adolescent mother living with HIV, Angolocom Parish

Children with HIV also endured isolation and school fears. FOJAR’s community dialogues with cultural, religious, and opinion leaders challenged norms and fostered inclusion.

Fortifying Health Facility Partnerships

FOJAR’s work deepened ties with Abala Health Centre III, yielding concrete HIV gains:

• Viral load suppression rose 5% above prior averages.
• 30% of new HIV-positive clients linked successfully to care.
• Lost-to-follow-up clients were traced and restarted on treatment.
• Men’s service uptake grew via community outreach.

The ART clinic in-charge noted that FOJAR’s interventions made care accessible to those deterred by stigma, distance, or privacy issues.

Broader Community Accountability and Protection

FOJAR also strengthened systems for violence response, child neglect, forced dropouts, and early marriage – often tied to HIV risks. From 2023 – 2025, collaborations with sub-county leaders, traditional authorities, and religious groups enabled mediation, referrals, and follow-up, filling gaps from exiting donor programs.

“I was forced into marriage at a young age and experienced domestic violence. After returning to my family home, I faced exclusion that denied me access to land, food, education for my children, and basic services. Support from community-based actors has helped me seek protection, regain access to services, and work toward a more stable future for my children.”
– Community member living with HIV, Lira District, supported by FOJAR

Sustaining Gains Through Local Ownership

GC6 RSSH support yielded lasting results:

• HIV, human rights, and inclusion integrated into FOJAR’s strategic plan.
• Trained resource persons continue parish-level support.
• Documentation, reporting, and learning systems institutionalized.
• FOJAR established as a key district partner in health and protection.

This story upholds the critical role of local actors in delivering sustainable, rights-based HIV responses attuned to community realities.

By Chemiat Ian Weyaula

In the corridors of Uganda’s forgotten places from tobacco farms, sugarcane fields, stone quarries, and shadowed households, children`s muted hardship persists. Manifested not in headlines or state bulletins, but in the fragile hands of children made prematurely rough by toil. These are not isolated instances of rural misfortune but rather a deeper, more insidious crisis, one that corrodes the moral infrastructure of our society while mocking the legislative pretenses we so enthusiastically parade.

According to the International Labor Organization (ILO), child labor is not merely about children working; it is about the kind of work that fundamentally distorts what it means to be a child. It refers to any form of labor that strips children of their inherent dignity, stunts their development and deprives them of the opportunities that should define childhood such as education, play, and emotional safety. This is labor that is not neutral and such is dangerous mentally, physically, socially, and morally.

Child labor places a burden on children that is not only excessive but fundamentally incompatible with their age, fragility, and rights. It is work that either entirely replaces school or renders schooling a hollow formality, forcing children to oscillate between the classroom and the workplace, too exhausted to benefit meaningfully from either. In short, child labor is not an economic necessity; it is a human rights violation thinly disguised as economic contribution, tolerated only because society has chosen, again and again, to make peace with the unacceptable.

The 1995 Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, as the supreme law of the state, does not merely acknowledge the rights of children, it demands their protection with the full weight of national obligation, articulating in Article 34 a child’s inviolable right to parental care, to education funded by both the state and guardians, and to absolute freedom from economic or social exploitation.

This constitutional right is reinforced by Article 24, which categorically forbids all forms of torture, cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment, and by Article 25, which condemns slavery, servitude, and forced labor in all their permutations provisions which, read together, form a clear juridical repudiation of child labor not just as an economic misfortune, but as a constitutional betrayal.

Today according to the ILO Child labor global estimates 2024, 138 million children across the globe remain trapped in child labor, a number that is not simply alarming but morally indefensible comprising 59 million girls and 78 million boys, a near eight percent of the world’s child population, with the gendered nuances of exploitation revealing themselves more fully when one accounts for the invisible economy of household labor, where girls quietly outnumber boys in servitude that escapes statistical recognition. Agriculture, by far the most dominant site of this exploitation, claims the overwhelming majority of these children, reaching 68% among those aged 5–11, 61% for ages 12–14, and 41% for those 15–17, 31% school exclusion rate among children aged 5–14, and an unconscionable 59% among those aged 15–17 making fields and farms less sites of growth than graveyards of childhood.

In Uganda alone, 6.2 million children, as per the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) National Labor survey published in 2021, are subjected to this fate, primarily in agricultural labor, where the work not only robs them of their time and health but, more cruelly, their right to education. These are not merely statistics however they are symptoms of a deeper societal sickness, one in which the plough is privileged over the pen, and where national development is mistakenly measured by harvests rather than by the literacy, dignity, and well-being of its children.

The Employment Act draws a firm legal boundary around the sanctity of childhood, expressly prohibiting the employment of any child under the age of twelve in any business undertaking, or workshop, and permitting only light work for those aged fourteen and above. The work must be non-injurious, non-hazardous, conducted under adult supervision, and in no way detrimental to the child’s education. It further forbids the engagement of children in labor during night hours, explicitly between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m., underscoring the law’s recognition that childhood is a protected space, not a labor reserve.

To call child Labor a crisis is to understate its entrenched normalcy. According to UBOS as noted earlier, 6 million children are engaged in child labor. We need to realize that these are not abstract statistics but living, breathing contradictions of our constitutional commitments and international obligations. David F.K. Mpanga once said, “We shall never see the Uganda we want until we develop a central nervous system that enables us to feel each other’s pain.” I think we need to feel the pain of these children as a country. Most of these children work in agriculture, others are found in construction, domestic servitude, informal trade, and the morally reprehensible realm of commercial sexual exploitation. This is not a marginal issue but rather a pandemic of poverty, perpetuated by silence and systemic inertia.

The ILO’s 2025 projections cast a sobering shadow: unless drastic interventions are implemented, the goal of eliminating child Labor globally under Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target 8.7 will remain elusive. Uganda’s case is particularly dire. The COVID-19 pandemic did not create child Labor, but like a gust of wind to an already flickering flame, it intensified the crisis. School closures, economic strain and the paucity of social protection mechanisms created the perfect storm. Children, once seated in classrooms, now swing machetes in sugarcane fields. Girls, once reciting poetry in school, now stir pots in homes not their own, or worse, find themselves trapped in exploitative relationships under the deceptive guise of marriage.

Child Labor is not gender neutral. In the calculus of poverty, the girl-child often pays twice. First, in her stolen education and second, in her compromised bodily autonomy. Many girls withdraw from school and end up in early marriages, where the distinction between Labor and abuse is imperceptibly thin. Without access to sexual and reproductive health information and services, they are rendered voiceless in decisions about their bodies and futures.

Center for Health, Human Rights and Development (CEHURD) approaches child labor not only as a labor issue but as a fundamental human rights and public health concern. From CEHURD’s vantage point, a society where health and human rights are realized for all cannot tolerate a practice that destroys the health, education, and future of its children. It’s intertwined with poverty, health, and particularly with Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR). What we witness is not merely Labor, but layered exploitation, where children, and especially girls, become instruments of survival in households battered by structural neglect. Their rights are not merely denied, they are commodified.

Through its Community Empowerment programs, CEHURD works at the grassroots to educate communities about the importance of keeping children in school and out of work. The organization partners with local leaders and health workers to emphasize that practices like child marriage, child trafficking, and child labour are not only illegal but deeply harmful. CEHURD’s Strategic Litigation team has also taken up cases to enforce child and maternal health rights, setting legal precedents that underscore the state’s duty to protect minors from abuse. In public campaigns, CEHURD echoes the simple truth: a child’s hands belong on books, not on tools or in chains.

Demonstrably, although Uganda has a National Action Plan against Child Labor and a National Child Labor Policy, plus the recently domesticated UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPS) and the development of a National Action on Business and Human Rights (NAPBHR). These laws are selectively enforced to end child labor, there needs to be more combined efforts since as a country we already have a good legal and policy framework on child labor we need to strengthen enforcement of the same through regular monitoring by labor inspectors of compliance at business premises and inspection in the plantation agricultural sector.

Secondly, Universal Quality Education should be a Non-Negotiable. A child in school is a child shielded from exploitation. This means not just access, but retention, safety, and relevance in curricula, especially for girls. Thirdly, Social Protection that is proactive and not reactive. We need comprehensive safety nets, maternal support, and health services that render child Labor economically illogical, not just morally reprehensible.

Fourthly, Community Accountability Mechanisms, where Local governments, religious institutions, and cultural leaders must not remain aloof. They are the first responders in the identification and mitigation of child Labor, and they must be capacitated accordingly. Lastly Gender-Lens Policy Implementation,where every intervention must be interrogated for its gender impact. Policies that fail to protect the girl-child are not merely incomplete, they are complicit.

The time for equivocation has long passed. Uganda’s children cannot afford our bureaucratic slumber or rhetorical dexterity. Their futures are being bartered for today’s economic survival, and that is a moral debt we cannot afford to carry into the next generation. Childhood is not a commodity, and justice cannot coexist with exploitation.  In conclusion, the hands of children are meant to hold books, not tools. And in safeguarding that truth, we do not merely protect their rights, we redeem our humanity.

The Author is from Makerere University Public Interest Law Clinic (PILAC), School of Law on secondment to CEHURD.

A version of this article was first published in the Daily Monitor on 15th.July.2025.