The Role of Condoms in Sexual Health, Family Planning and ITGNC Well-Being in Kenya
International Condom Day, observed annually on 13 February, is a global reminder of the vital role condoms play in preventing sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV, and in supporting voluntary family planning. In Kenya, where sexual health challenges, including new Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), HIV infections and unplanned pregnancies (Triple Threat), remain major public health concerns, the benefits of condoms extend beyond individual protection to broader social and developmental outcomes.
Why are condoms important?
1. Highly Effective Protection Against HIV and STIs
Condoms are one of the most effective barrier methods for preventing the sexual transmission of HIV and other STIs when used consistently and correctly. Globally, correct condom use can reduce the risk of HIV transmission significantly. According to the World Health Organization, increased condom use since 1990 has averted an estimated 117 million new HIV infections, close to half (47%) of them in sub-Saharan Africa and more than one third (37%) in Asia and the Pacific. In Kenya, they remain a cornerstone of national HIV prevention strategies.
2. Preventing Unintended Pregnancies
Condoms serve as a dual protection tool, simultaneously preventing both unplanned pregnancies and STI/HIV transmission. Unintended pregnancy affects economic outcomes, education retention (especially among girls), and maternal health. By helping individuals avoid unintended pregnancies and plan births, it reduces pregnancy-related health risks, particularly for adolescent girls. It improves reproductive health, allowing for child spacing. Child spacing reduces risks of malnutrition and health complications, while also boosting economic stability and autonomy. Beyond health, family planning enables women and, Intersex Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming( ITGNC) individuals to pursue education and employment opportunities, helping families and communities thrive.
3. Supporting Sexual Health for All
Sexual and gender minorities, including Intersex, transgender, and gender-nonconforming (ITGNC) individuals, often face barriers to tailored sexual health services, including stigma, discrimination, and legal challenges. Research indicates that Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+) people in urban Kenya bear a disproportionate burden of HIV and STI risk and face unequal access to prevention and care services. Preliminary findings from the 2024 Integrated Bio-Behavioral Survey (IBBS), released by the Ministry of Health Kenya, through the National AIDS and STIs Control Program (NASCOP), shines a light on the state of HIV among Kenya’s key populations. The report shows that transgender people remain among the most vulnerable yet underserved groups in the national HIV response. The survey found HIV prevalence among transgender persons at 22%, nearly six times the national average of 3.7%.
Condom uptake in Kenya remains lower than global public health targets. Low rates of consistent condom use are partly linked to limited access, stigma, and gaps in sexual health education. Inclusive condom distribution and barrier method education are essential because proper condom use protects against HIV and STIs regardless of partner gender, sex characteristics, or sexual orientation.
Barriers to Access
ITGNC people often face legal and social exclusion in Kenya, which can deter them from accessing health services. Studies involving transgender individuals and men who have sex with men in Nairobi highlight higher HIV prevalence and barriers in care access, underscoring the need for inclusive, stigma-free condom advocacy and services.
Access to condoms and other barrier methods in Kenya remains disproportionate for ITGNC communities who already face stigma in mainstream health systems. Many public health facilities primarily stock male condoms, with limited availability of internal condoms, finger cots, and dental dams. These options are especially important for diverse sexual practices and for individuals who may not be able to negotiate external condom use. In addition, the lack of size variety in condoms can affect comfort, fit, and proper use; poorly fitting condoms are more likely to slip or break, reducing effectiveness and discouraging consistent use.
Persistent stockout issues in public facilities and community distribution points further undermine prevention efforts, particularly in low-income and rural settings where free supplies are essential. These challenges are compounded by youth-specific and geographical barriers. Young adults often face judgment when seeking condoms, while those in rural, peri-urban, or marginalized counties must contend with long distances to health facilities, limited ITGNC-friendly services, and inconsistent outreach programs. Addressing these layered access gaps is critical to ensuring that condoms fulfill their promise as an inclusive, reliable tool for protection and family planning across Kenya.
Inclusive health messaging and service delivery that includes gender-affirming care and culturally competent condom education are crucial for meaningful engagement with ITGNC communities. Condoms offer a universally applicable form of protection, and when combined with accurate information and friendly health services can increase uptake of condom use in the ITGNC community.
What should policy makers and communities prioritize?
Expand access and affordability- Advocate for policies that remove barriers, such as high taxes or gaps in supply, to ensure condoms are both affordable and available through government, NGO, and community channels.
Strengthen inclusive sexual health education- Support initiatives that deliver comprehensive, non-judgmental sexual health information in schools and community settings, that is inclusive of ITGNC experiences and needs.
Normalize condoms as tools for health and choice- Public health messaging should promote condoms not merely as disease prevention tools but as instruments of sexual autonomy, dignity, and family planning choice.
Policy & structural changes, including decriminalization, legal gender recognition, and mandating inclusive comprehensive sex education.
As Kenya marks International Condom Day, it is evident that condoms save lives by reducing HIV and STI transmission and preventing unintended pregnancies. More importantly, inclusive condom advocacy affirms the rights and health of all people, especially those in ITGNC communities who are often left at the margins of mainstream health services. Consistent, correct use of condoms should be celebrated and promoted as part of a broader vision for sexual and reproductive health equity in Kenya.
