INTERNATIONAL CONDOM DAY- AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) will celebrate International Condom Day (ICD) on February 13 with a clear and urgent message: “Just Use It!” The annual observance spotlights condoms as one of the most effective and affordable tools for preventing HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
This year, nearly 50 AHF country teams worldwide will mark the day with creative, community-centered events that blend education, entertainment, and free condom distribution. The goal is simple: ensure that protecting sexual health is accessible, stigma-free, and empowering for everyone.
Rising STI Rates Demand Renewed Commitment
The global surge in STIs, particularly syphilis underscores the consequences of declining prevention funding and the failure to prioritize condom access. Public health experts warn that without swift corrective action, increases in HIV infections may follow.
Each condom used helps preserve decades of progress in the global fight against HIV and prevents far more costly public health setbacks. Ending the rise in STIs and sustaining HIV prevention does not require new scientific breakthroughs. It requires political will, sustained investment, and a renewed commitment to making condoms free or affordable and widely available—especially for those most at risk.
“Condoms still work,” said Terri Ford, AHF Chief of Global Advocacy & Policy. “After 40 years, we know the formula to stop HIV/AIDS: Get tested. Get treated. Use condoms. It’s that basic. We cannot end HIV/AIDS without condoms. The continued spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections is not a failure of science—it’s a failure of leadership and commitment to prevention.”
Ford added that stigma, underinvestment, and restrictive policies continue to sideline one of public health’s most proven tools.
“Condoms are effective, affordable, and backed by decades of evidence. They must be treated as an essential public health good, supported by sustained funding, education, and promotion. Free condom distribution is not optional—it’s common sense. They are cost-effective. They save lives. We need to champion them.”
A Global Celebration of Safer Sex
Launched by AHF in 2009, International Condom Day is observed annually on February 13. The event promotes condoms as the world’s best defense against HIV, other STIs, and unintended pregnancies. ICD reinforces a central message: condoms are safer, empowering, and must remain at the forefront of global sexual health efforts.
To expand the conversation, AHF invites the public to visit LOVEcondoms.org and listen to its Global Public Health Revolution podcast episode, “Safer Is Sexy: Condoms & Creative Health Campaigns,” which explores how condoms help save lives, challenge taboos, and shape public health messaging worldwide.
“Ohh Mamma!”: Prevention Meets Performance
Since 2022, AHF has also celebrated International Condom Day with a free, prevention-focused burlesque tour across the United States. This year’s encore production, “Ohh Mamma!”, draws inspiration from the global ABBA phenomenon “Mamma Mia!” and combines bold performances, striking costumes, and high-energy routines with safer-sex messaging.
Throughout February, the show will visit:
New York City on February 7, Washington, DC between February 13 & 14, Chicago, Illinois between February 20 & 21, and Columbus, Ohio on February 28
Tickets are free and available on a first-come, first-served basis at AHFEvents.org.
