According to the 2008 Baseline Survey on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights violations in Uganda, 94% of the respondents are aware that condoms are a preventive measure.

"The results show that condoms are easily accessible to those who want to acquire them. Overall, 83% report that they can acquire condoms. More men (91%) than women (73%) said they can acquire condoms," the report reads.

It notes that 80% of the respondents admitted that acquiring a condom would take less than a minute. However, 52% of the female respondents reported that it is difficult for them to acquire condoms.

The report also noted that the society has a negative attitude towards women who buy condoms.

Sixty-two percent of the respondents noted that such women are scorned and considered sexually promiscuous, while 8% reported that such women are believed to have AIDS.

The study was conducted in the districts of Kampala, Lira, Masindi, Ntungamo and Pallisa in 2008.

The report further notes that 25.3% of respondents use condoms only when engaged in sexual relations with those they do not trust. Of these, 7.7% are women.

www.aegis.org