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Posted on 12/07/2006 8:16:40 AM PST by NYer
MUKONO, Uganda, December 6, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Janet Museveni, First Lady of Uganda, has continued her strong support for the country’s successful abstinence campaign against HIV/AIDS with a statement encouraging youth to live lives of “love, faith and purity,” New Vision reported December 2.
"I would not be caught advising you to take any shortcuts or compromise your lives by using any device invented by man, such as condoms, in order to facilitate any desire to go against God's clear plan for your life,” Mrs. Museveni told students at the Uganda Christian University, Mukono, for World AIDS Day.
“God's plan for your life is that you should honour your body because it is His temple."
Warning the young people that they should not be complacent as HIV infection rates rise, Mrs. Museveni asked them to encourage other students to abstain from premarital sex.
Ugandan President Museveni and his wife introduced a program encouraging sexual abstinence before marriage and fidelity afterwards, in an attempt to combat the scourge of HIV/AIDS.
The program has been harshly condemned by international organizations promoting condom use, but in fact Ugandan HIV transmission rates dropped by as much as 75% in some regions after the program was introduced, down to 5-7% from a high of 18%.
Uganda is in an ongoing struggle with Western NGOs pushing condom use in the country. UNICEF, the UNFPA, the World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control are among those organizations relying on condom promotion for AIDS prevention in African nations. The UN has openly opposed the use of abstinence programs as a successful alternative to Western approaches on lessening virus transmission rates.
Criticism of the West’s emphasis on condom use has been growing, as HIV/AIDS transmission rates show no signs of slowing after years of condom promotion. Medical Journalist Sue Ellin Browder reported in June 2006 on evidence showing dramatic increases in condom distribution in African nations paralleled an explosion in HIV/AIDS infection rates.
“So far, there’s no good evidence that condoms will reverse population-wide epidemics like those in sub-Saharan Africa,” Browder wrote for Crisis Magazine.
See previous LifeSiteNews coverage:
Medical Journalist Says Reliance on Condoms Spreads HIV/AIDS
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2006/jun/06062304.html
Uganda AIDS Prevention Success Being Undermined by Infuriated UN Condom-Pushers
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2005/feb/05020408.html
UN Anger Over Uganda's Successful Abstinence Program Fueled by Loss of Funds Says Researcher
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2005/oct/05101404.html
Uganda's First Lady Warns Teens against Condom Use
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2004/jan/04011205.html
Ugandan Abstinence AIDS Prevention Program Equivalent to a Highly Effective Vaccine, Researchers Find
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2004/apr/04043004.html
Janet is one smart cookie. I'm glad she's speaking out so strongly.
Well, it's true, no matter how much the libs refuse to admit it.
“So far, there’s no good evidence that condoms will reverse population-wide epidemics like those in sub-Saharan Africa,”
Repeat loud and often. When I was there a poster about abstinance was in every govt office and non profit office.
bttt
This is the only African nation using this approach - and the only African nation seeing a decline in the rate of infection. Of course, the UN et al. don't want to hear about it. They have no doubt invested in the condom business.
Why don't these knuckleheads just wake up and invest in the diaper/stroller/baby wipes business? People spend on inordinate amount of money on those things.
How much can one person spend on condoms? I mean, really?
On top of that, with the way AIDS is spreading, I'm doubtful very many people are even using condoms.
Africa should not be forced to repeat every stupid mistake we make.
UN "Peacekeepers" in Africa have not exactly been walking advertisements for abstinance.
Amen, sister!
Being nitpicky. Abstinence should be promoted as the ideal way to combat the spread of HIV. A change of values can be far stronger than simple countermeasures. For example, children are starting to get high on medications, and not only illegal drugs. Simply banning narcotics is about the same as the current, liberal ways of combating HIV. If people were to be morally responsible, then drug use (even with medications) would be reduced, and things such as HIV could be history.
Yet there are people who claim that abstinence won't reduce unwanted pregnancy. Go figure.
My how things change ... the current leadership seem to have their act together.
Hey America, Are you listening? Abstinence does work!
I don't know about "keeping the piece", but they make sure that they get a piece.
Why didn't Rick Warren invite her to speak at his AIDS conference instead of Barack Obama?
Condom use is considered "unmanly" in many parts of Africa and most men absolutely refuse to use them. So essentially if all you push is condom use, you are doing nothing whatsoever to combat the spread of AIDS. That's why the abstinence message is the only one that has worked over there.
{{{ scratching head }}}
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