In 2012, the South African government launched a new National Strategic Plan on HIV, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and tuberculosis (TB) for 2012-2016 that included ambitious female condom procurement targets. Reproductive health advocates viewed these targets as progress toward expanded protection options for women. They also saw an opportunity to monitor and encourage implementation, especially since translating health policies into concrete programming remained a challenge in South Africa. Over 18 months, they implemented a series of advocacy activities to maintain a steady drumbeat of attention on female condoms and increase accountability among South African officials for procurement and programming. The conclusion of these advocacy efforts coincided with the government releasing its largest-ever tender for female condoms, requesting a supply of 54 million units over three years. This number tracks closely with the targets laid out in the HIV/STI/TB National Strategic Plan.
The case study finds that coordinating and mobilizing local South African civil society and media partners to deliver advocacy messages through creative means—such as the “Dance4Demand” Global Female Condom Day campaign in 2014—was critical in persuading government decision-makers to act on their commitments.
Click here for full case study.