Martin (78) also discussed clergy sexual abuse and policies of the Church, including the ban on condoms during the AIDS crisis.

"I'd be very worried about consultations, which lead to frustrated expectations which don't take place. People's faith is damaged by a church which doesn't respect women's dignity," Martin said.

Martin also criticised Pope John Paul II's ban on condoms during the AIDS crisis, describing it as "bad theology."

"I think that it was bad theology.

"It's this idea of an extraordinary narrow dogmatic understanding of bringing principles and not looking at the broad circumstances in which the situation is taking place and the struggles that people have to face.

"It was one of the problems with the church in Ireland.

"We learned the rules before we learned who Jesus Christ was."

He stressed the need for a more compassionate and contextual approach to such issues.

Women weren't listened to

While discussing the clerical child sexual abuse scandals, Archbishop Martin highlighted the understanding of ordinary Dublin women who recognised the harm caused by paedophilia but often found their concerns dismissed by bishops.

"They (the women) saw the mess that their child got into, they saw in some cases how their child took their own life, and they went to bishops and they weren't listened to."

When asked what he would say to God on arrival at the pearly gates, Martin said:

"The only phrase I have is, when you've got that weighing scale there, take the 80,000 files I gave and that might bring me the right way."

His comment was a reference to the number of documents he handed the Murphy Commission when it was investigating how the archdiocese had dealt with allegations of clerical child sexual abuse.

Martin was speaking to Joe Duffy in The Meaning of Life programme.

Sources

The Irish Times

CathNews New Zealand

He is the recently reinstated Grand Chancellor of the Order of Malta.

"What the pope says about the world economy naturally angers them and they are very capable of making their voices heard in the Vatican," Boeselager said.

On December 6th Matthew Festing, a former Grenadier Guardsman from Northumbria in England and at that time Grand Master of the Knights of Malta, dismissed von Boeselager who was his grand chancellor.

von Boeselager had refused to step down over claims, which he, von Boeselager, denies, that he allowed the distribution of condoms in Myanmar.

Festing subsequently resigned as the head of the order Jan. 25, following a meeting with the pope the previous day.

In an interview published March 4 in the German daily Die Welt von Boeselager said it was quite obvious that there were hardliners in the Church who feared that Francis was watering down church teaching on marriage and the family.

They also rejected his stance on economic matters and the distribution of wealth.

He insisted that the Order of Malta had been drawn into a controversy that did not really concern the order itself.

"Only a few days ago Cardinal Raymond Burke once again underlined that anyone who had a high office in the Catholic Church and tolerated the distribution of condoms must step down," Boeselager noted.

"The accusation that I distributed condoms or tolerated their distribution is simply untrue."

"But quite apart from that, Burke is not only slandering me but is also indirectly attacking the Holy Father for protecting someone who distributes condoms," he charged.

The interim leader of the Knights of Malta has said that it was primarily U.S. Cardinal Raymond Burke who touched off the recent dispute between the Knights of Malta and the Vatican.

In an interview with an Austrian newspaper last month Ludwig Hoffmann von Rumerstein said it was Burke, and not the order's leader at the time, who demanded the resignation of von Boeselager.

After the original publication of this story, the cardinal issued a statement disputing Hoffmann von Rumerstein's account and said it was "not accurate."

"I had no authority to ask the Grand Chancellor to resign," Burke told the National Catholic Register. "To be frank, I am stunned by what Hoffmann von Rumerstein states."

Source

• www.economist.com
• international.la-croix.com
• www.ft.com
• ncronline.org
• Image: dw.com

Justifying his group's actions, the Catholic Medical Mission Board (CMMB) president Bruce Wilkinson, said "there are women in Africa who need to be protected by a condom."

A past president of CMMB, John Galbraith, said the keys to fighting AIDS are: "abstinence, be faithful, and if that doesn't work, use condoms." Read more

The Pope answered the question during a session with reporters on his plane flying back from the Central African Republic on November 30.

The journalist asked if the Church should consider changing its stance on artificial contraception - particularly on the use of condoms - given the continuing spread of HIV/AIDS in Africa.

"The question seems too small to me," the Pontiff responded.

"It seems to me also like a partial question."

"The morality of the Church is found on this point, I think, in front of a perplexity," he said.

"Fifth or Sixth commandment? Defend life, or that sexual relations be open to life? This is not the problem. The problem is bigger."

"This question makes me think of what they asked Jesus one time: 'Tell me, master, is it licit to heal on the Sabbath?'" Francis continued.

"Malnutrition, exploitation of persons, slave work, lack of drinking water," he said.

"These are the problems."

"I do not like to descend into reflections that are so casuistic when people are dying," he continued.

"I would say to not think if it is licit or not licit to heal on the Sabbath. I say to humanity: Make justice, and when all are healed, when there is not injustice in this world, we can speak of the Sabbath."

During his three-nation African visit, Pope Francis visited HIV-infected children at a Uganda hospital and kissed each one.

He also listened to moving testimony from a girl born with the virus and thanked the Church's healthcare workers for caring for those infected.

During the session with reporters, Francis also spoke out strongly again against religious fundamentalism.

He said that fundamentalism exists in all religions and should be combated with efforts at friendship.

He said he prefers not to speak of having tolerance for other religious, but "living together, friendship".

Sources

• National Catholic Reporter
• The Guardian
• Full text of the Pope's comments on the plane trip from Africa
• Image: Catholic Weekly

The artwork titled "Eggs Benedict" was created by Niki Johnson to spark a discussion about sexual health.

She said it was inspired by comments made by Benedict during a 2009 visit to Africa in which he suggested that the use of condoms could exacerbate the spread of AIDS.

But Ms Johnson denied she intended to offend Catholics with the artwork.

Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome Listecki blasted the decision by the museum to display the piece as insulting and callous.

In a blog he questioned whether the museum would accept art depicting Mahatma Gandhi sporting an uzi, Abraham Lincoln in Klu Klux Klan garb or Adolf Hitler with a yarmulke reading the Torah, all in the name of art.

The museum acknowledged it has fielded about 200 complaints.

The museum acquired the portrait from local philanthropist and gay rights advocate Joseph Pabst, who bought it for about US$25,000 and donated it to the institution.

It will go on display when renovations at the museum are complete.

Museum board of trustees president Don Layden said: "This was never intended to be derisive, mocking or disrespectful of the pope."

"It was to have a conversation about AIDS and AIDS education. And my hope is when the piece appears in the museum that will be the focus of the discussion."

Jerry Topczewski, chief of staff for Archbishop Listecki, called that explanation "a smoke screen".

"What's at play here is either an intentional attack on a faith tradition and its teachings or a publicity stunt for the artist," he said.

"And we would be opposed to any faith tradition or religious leader being attacked in such a way."

Sources

• Milwaukee Wisconsin Journal Sentinel
• Daily Caller
• Image: The Guardian

The chief executive of the New Zealand Catholic Education Office, Br Sir Patrick Lynch, spoke about an experiment at James Cook High School in south Auckland.

Condoms were given to teens as young as 15 as they went on study break for their end of year exams in 2011.

According to an article on the Stuff website, the experiment has been deemed so successful in terms of lowering teen pregnancy rates that researchers are calling for the approach to be rolled out at schools across the country.

The article reported Br Sir Patrick saying parents should be told if condoms are being given to teens as young as 15.

"It's skidding on thin ice if they are not telling parents," he said.

"We're not talking about 30-year-olds or 20-year-olds, we're talking about minors."

When it comes to reducing teen pregnancy rates, parents and schools must work together, he said.

"You must build a trust environment with the parents."

The condom give-aways were prompted after James Cook High discovered 12 of its girls returned to school pregnant after the summer holidays in 2011.

Three Auckland University nursing students came up with the idea of distributing the free condoms, which were put inside sex education pamphlets.

Among the advice given in the pamphlets was information as to where to get the morning after pill.

Now, four years later, no teens have returned to decile one school pregnant after the summer.

And the school's NCEA academic results have improved by 30 per cent since that time.

But principal Vaughan Couillault said there's more to the academic improvement than a minor intervention in sexual health guidance.

He said the school provides a range of services, with quality teaching being the main driver behind student achievement.

James Cook High has an on-site health clinic offering sex education advice.

New Zealand has the second highest teen pregnancy rate in the developed world.

Sources

• Stuff
• Newstalk ZB
• ABC

Beginning with a disclaimer "Don't get me wrong. I love kids. They're adorable and tons of fun to be around," it goes on to "shows just how much damage kids can do".

The minute-long commercial has been described at "borderline melodramatic genius" by Adweek, and won best spec spot of the year in a recent advertising competition.

Adweek says the advertisement is, "an excellent depiction of what may lie ahead if you're not careful." and advises men to protect themselves.

"The music, which masterfully drives the piece, is Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 14, also known as the Moonlight Sonata, which is offset by humorous yet dramatic cinematography", it says.

"The slow motion increasingly builds the misery of fatherhood: the unkempt yard, the overcooked hot dogs, the wild kids (why won't they stop running around?), the screaming wife, the fake smiles."

"Will it ever end? Then, wham, a wake-up call, a shot to the family jewels. Don't let it get this far, guys. Protect yourselves now so you don't have to protect yourselves for the rest of your natural lives."

Source

• Essential Mums
• Adweek
• Image: Bab.unica.ro

He believes NCC wasn't asked about the matter because those involved feared what the answer would be.

News about the condoms reached him via a reporter who telephoned from Australia.

Ono has asked NCC chairman Kasiano Leaupepe for the issue to be discussed so that a joint statement can be issued on the matter.

NCC membership consists of the mainstream churches.

Source

• Talamuaonline
• Image: Talamuaonline

The group called Catholics for Choice says its billboard and newspaper advertising campaign gives "an authentically Catholic message".

The "Good Catholics Use Condoms" advertisements show a smiling couple with the wording: "We believe in God. We believe that sex is sacred. We believe in caring for each other. We believe in using condoms."

But the chairman of the Kenyan Episcopal Conference, Cardinal John Njue, said the advertisements "deliberately ridicule the Catholic teaching on responsible sexual behaviour across all ages".

He assured all Catholics and "all who may be misguided by these adverts that the propagators of the message, who are anonymous, are not an authority in the Catholic Church and are therefore speaking for themselves and on their own behalf".

Catholics for Choice has a long record of opposing Catholic teaching in the US, especially on sexuality and abortion, since it was formed in 1973.

According to Wikipedia, its multi-million dollar budget is largely funded by secular foundations such as the Ford Foundation, Buffett Foundation, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation and Playboy Foundation.

Its president, Jon O'Brien, said it launched its campaign in Kenya after pressure from religious groups forced the government to drop an advertising campaign promoting condom use in marriage in March.

"The ad was based on good science," said O'Brien; "more than 1.6 million people are living with HIV in Kenya, and condoms are an evidence-based method for preventing the spread of HIV.

"The aim of the campaign," he said, "is to ensure that Catholics know that despite what the bishops say, Catholics can in good conscience use condoms. Catholics in Kenya are no different. They can take the steps to protect themselves and their partners against HIV."

Sources:

BBC

God Discussion

Kenya Episcopal Conference

Image: Capital FM

In response to recently reported high rate of STDs in Samoa, the NUS School of Nursing, Samoa Family Health Association and Samoa Red Cross have joined forces in an attempt to ensure safer sex among young people. The project will see free condom dispensers put in to bathrooms across the NUS campus.

Those promoting the initiative say access to free condoms has been proven internationally to help reduce the risk of STI transmission and unplanned pregnancy, specifically among youth.

Catholic Church spokesman Father Ioane Ono has told Radio Australia's Pacific Beat the Church intends to launch a formal objection to the plan.

He says contraception encourages promiscuity and is immoral.

"There's no guarantee that these condoms protect our children from passing on diseases," he said.

"And on the other side of the coin, it is promoting promiscuity and promoting fornication."

According to local reports, 35% of the population in Samoa has tested positive for sexually transmitted diseases.

Source

• Samoa Observer
• Radio Australia
• Pacific Beat
• Image: 4.BP.Blogspot

The documents were launched in Suva last Thursday by the President of Fiji, Ratu Epeli Nailatikau.

Both documents recommend openness and willingness to speak out on these sensitive issues.

Faith based organisations have welcomed the two documents as a guide for them to use in responding to HIV in their communities and congregations.

The chairman of Interfaith Search Fiji, Jalal Ud Dean, said there were common interests in their collective meetings on the church to take a leading role in combating HIV and AIDS.

"When this initiative was taken up, Interfaith was very much part of it from the beginning," he said.

The use of condoms is widely accepted by churches in Fiji for preventing the spread of the diseases says Dean.

"Even though some faith groups discouraged the use of artificial contraceptives but in terms of the sickness it is a different story."

Dean say "We found that 19 faith groups have commonality as they share the same platform in terms of not encouraging sexual activities out of wedlock."

"Even though some faith groups discouraged the use of artificial contraceptives but in terms of the sickness it is a different story."

He said this was a debatable topic in their monthly meetings as it was a very sensitive issue.

Interfaith Search is an organisation comprising 16 different religious groups that aims to find commonalities for the national good.

Source

• The Fiji Times
• The Fiji Times
• Image: Stop HIV

"Even if the document issued by the Ministry of Education has many positive points, we cannot be forced to follow a policy which contradicts with our philosophy of education," said Archbishop Francesco Panfilo of Rabaul, who is vice president of the Episcopal Commission for Catholic Education.

According to the Ministry of Education, however, there is no way to fully control the sexual behavior of students. Since a high rate of infection with HIV-AIDS in recent years was recorded in the school population, condom use, according to the Department, is useful to limit the damage and infections.

Source

• Catholic.net
• The National
• Youth Visioning

In his final homily the Pope told some 50,000 packed into a stadium at Contonou and another 30,000 watching on giant screens from outside

• that corruption is not acceptable,
• AIDS is mainly an ethical problem and
• to seek reconciliation in the face of conflict.

"Dear brothers and sisters of Africa, this land which sheltered the holy family, may you continue to cultivate Christian family values," he said.

"At a time when so many families are separated, in exile, grief-stricken as a result of unending conflicts, may you be artisans of reconciliation and hope," Benedict told the crowd.

Benedict arrived in his popemobile to a joyous welcome from the faithful, many wearing skirts or wraps with his picture. The 84-year-old pope received warm cheers when he took a baby in his arms.

Ahead of his arrival, the crowd applauded each time the sun appeared from behind the clouds, some crying out, "Jesus!".

On Saturday, at a basilica in the city of Ouidah, a centre of voodoo, with the Temple of Pythons and its 30-odd snakes just across the street Benedict called for

• good governance,
• the abolition of the death penalty and
• denounced abuses, particularly against women and children

Changes in behaviour are needed to combat AIDS, including sexual abstinence and rejection of promiscuity, Benedict said.

Africa has the world's fastest-growing number of Catholics but the Church is facing a major challenge from evangelical movements that have made huge gains on the continent.

"I wanted to visit Africa once more," he said at the airport before his departure.

"It is a continent for which I have a special regard and affection, for I am deeply convinced that it is a land of hope.

"Here are found authentic values which have much to teach our world. They need only to spread and to blossom with God's help and the determination of Africans themselves."

The pope's health seemed to hold up well throughout the trip despite intense heat and a packed schedule - and he often seemed invigorated by the adoring crowds.

Sources

• The West
• Image: Ottawa Citizen

In the press release, issued on 3 May this year UNFPA Executive Director, Dr. Osotimehin said "the population projections underscore the urgent need to provide safe and effective family planning to the 215 million women who lack it. We must invest the resources to enable women and men to have the means to exercise their human right to determine the number and spacing of their children," he said.

However, according to Safiye Cagar, director of the information and external relations division at UNFPA, the Catholic Church's ban on the use of contraception is not to blame for the population boom because most Catholics ignore it.

"In Catholic countries like Italy, Spain or Malta people are still using contraceptives like condoms, so the Church ban is not having an impact.

"Besides, the population growth in Catholic countries is limited compared to other parts of world," said Cagar.

Quoting from a report by the Guttmacher Institute, (a nonprofit sexual health research organization, which some have called the research arm of Planned Parenthood), he said that 98 percent of sexually active Catholic women have used contraceptive methods banned by the church, according to a recent survey.

The 7 billionth human being is also "symbolic". There could be several of them, born, it seems, in carefully designated places in the world, where it is considered useful to draw the population's attention the fact that the Human population never grown with such speed before the 20th century; for example the Philippines.

It is a less well know fact is that it is never again likely to grow with such speed. The global fertility rate is already decreasing; in the future the population of the world is likely to decline

How many is too many?

There is a debate about how many people the earth can sustain. With both more people and longer lifetimes, humanity's absolute numbers continue to rise, even though the number of children per women has halved since 1950. The absolute growth rate in human population peaked at 2.1 percent between 1965 and 1970, according demographer Joel Cohen of Columbia University's Earth Institute to Cohen. "We're now down to 1.1 percent per year," although that still means roughly 150 babies born every minute.

While the fertility rate is one of the factors putting pressure on the earth's resources some say the real issue is the often unchecked, unmitigated, uncontrollable, and unbridled consumption. In the time it took the population to double, "the economy grew by 15 times, cars by 16 times and fertilizer-use by sixfold." A Scientific American article highlights the role of consumerism.

• The world's richest 500 million people produce half the world's carbon dioxide emissions—the primary greenhouse gas responsible for climate change—whereas the poorest three billion emit just seven percent.
• The average American—one of 312.5 million—uses up some 88 kilograms of stuff daily: food, water, plastics, metals and other material goods.
• Americans consume a full 25 percent of the world's energy despite representing just 5 percent of global population
• The band of industrialized nations combine to waste 222 million metric tons of food per year, according to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization.

You are one in 7 billion. What's your number? Click here and then enter your birthday to find your number and compare yourself to family, friends, and others around the globe.

Source

• Reuters
• The Scientific American - Growth rate has Peaked
• The Scientific American - How many people can the earth support?
• Image: www.salon.com

The Youth Alive programme, which has been running in all of Zambia's dioceses, emphasises abstinence from pre-marital sex and faithfulness in marriage.

Sister Wetzel said: "We want to empower young people to recognise how precious human life is. They learn how serious Aids is. Based on this knowledge they understand that their lives are affected by their own decisions. This means they can refuse if someone wants to tempt them to any action that violates the sacredness of human life."

Sister Wetzel's comments echo those of Sister Maria Crucis Beards who helped set up Our Lady's Hospice, a centre for people with HIV in the east of the Zambian capital, Lusaka.

In an interview with Aid to the Church in Need, Sr Crucis said: "I believe telling people about the importance of chastity and fidelity is the only way to tackle the [HIV/Aids] crisis. Condoms have been freely available for 10 years or more and yet there's been no obvious change in HIV levels. Clearly condoms don't work."

According to UN estimates, Zambia has one of the highest HIV prevalence rates in the world. Zambia's HIV prevalence in adults was 21.5 percent in 2003. Figures from 2009 reveal a drop to 13.5 percent.

A national strategic plan developed in 2002-2005 prioritised promoting behaviour change, reducing mother-to-child transmission, ensuring safer blood transfusions, and providing care and support for people living with HIV/AIDS, especially orphans.

The southern African nation has a population of 14 million, of whom 7.5 million are Catholic.

Full Article: ICN

Amber-Leigh Erasmus, who is now 17, is due to give birth to her first child on Saturday, a result of having unprotected sex during New Year celebrations.

Amber-Leigh said she was brought up with the idea that you should wait until marriage before having sex. But the things she learned at school made sex seem like a perfectly normal thing to do, so she tried it.

In a sex education programme "I learned [at the age of 13] that sex was okay as long as you consented to it. I learned how to put on condoms, and we even got to 'taste test' the flavours of oral condoms."

Read Article

Image: NIU Women;s Resource Centre

Any event that gathers 1.5 - 2 million young people together to celebrate their faith is a huge success, and whether it be the intense heat, untimely rain and wind or the growth in faith, the atmosphere of the occasion will remain a life-long experience.

The complexity of modern Spain meant World Youth Day 2011 has not been all plain-sailing.

Violent protests, a gay and lesbian kiss-in, a high profile pro-condom lobby and World Youth Day website hackers threatened to take the shine away from the event.

Protests became violent

Violence repeatedly flared throughout the papal visit, as Spanish riot-police swung batons in clashes with anti-Church protesters.

Between 3000-5000 anti-pope protesters marched on the Spanish capital's central Sol Plaza to voice their concerns about the 50 million euro price tag of the four-day trip.

Pilgrims were put under pressure and at times were told to stay away from some of Madrid's popular areas.

"Pilgrims have been asked not to go to Sol for security reasons," Malaysian pilgrim Yap Thomas reported on Twitter.

"Sometimes we were very afraid ...but they did not attack me", Lilly Cozzoleno of Italy told CNS.

Protesters were in the main objecting to the cost of WYD, and chanted "God yes, Church no"; "Not with my taxes"; "We are not the pope's youth" and "I am a sinner, sinner, sinner".

Some protesters even taunted the faithful shouting: "Nazi, nazi."

Baton-wielding anti-riot police were used to disperse the protesters.

Not all one-sided, one protester against the papal visit, who would not give his name, bled from the nose. "I was in the demonstration with my father and one of the Catholics punched me in the face," he said.

The Vatican however rebuffed protesters' claims saying, "The event will not cost anything" for Spain.

"The burden will fall on the church, the pilgrims and private donors," it said.

Kiss-in foiled

On Thursday, more than 100 activists planned to join up along the street where the Pope travelled in his white, bulletproof Popemobile and stage a kiss-in.

Police foiled plans by gays and lesbians, blocking the protesters, forcing them to disperse.

In the end only two men managed to skirt security and kiss for the cameras just as the Pope passed by along the major Madrid artery of Calle Serrano.

Condom use promotion got creative

For the past few years an American-based organisation, Catholics for Choice, have run advertisements on billboards in Madrid subway stations and busses as part of their Condoms4Life programme.

This year the ads have been banned.

In a press release Catholics for Choice president, John O'Brien defended the ads. "As Catholics, we were supporting Pope Benedict's claim that condoms can save lives," he said.

It is unclear why liberal Spanish authorities blocked the ads, but it forced Catholics for Choice to adopt alternative creative strategies such as extensive social media campaigns, badges for pilgrims to wear and night-time projections onto the walls of buildings.

Despite being shut down, Catholics for Choice expressed delight at the success of their campaign.

"We were all over the media - local, national and international - and our projections were beamed around the world," they said in their last blog post on social media platform Tumblr.

Website hacked

Issues have also hampered communication from the World Youth Day's official website.

The website began experiencing problems on August 15 and organisers confirmed the issues were the result of computer hackers, and despite several successful attempts to prevent the site being hacked, the event's technicians were unable to prevent several "Denials of Service attacks" which temporarily, but repeatedly took the site down, hampering officials' communications efforts, particularly with the media.

WYD organisers released a statement saying, "Out of respect for the millions of people who are following us around the world and the 4,900 accredited communication professionals at WYD, we believe it is necessary to inform the public about this hacking attempt."

The organizers said they regret "any distress caused" and confirmed they are working to resolve the issue.

Benedict left Madrid after Mass on Sunday, but not before calling on some of the 30,000 volunteers to thank them for their work.

Sources

• CNA
• Twitter @yapthomas
• The Province
• American Catholic
• Mail Online
• Huffington Post
• France 24

Catholic charities are a major player in the fight against HIV/AIDS providing about 25 percent of AIDS care in Africa where 22 million infected people live. They run hospitals and hospices, orphanages and clinics and have played a critical role in helping to de-stigmatize those with the virus and stress the need for changes in sexual behavior to stop its spread.

One topic being discussed is the role of condoms in the prevention of the disease. Dr. Michel Sidibe, executive director of UNAIDS, speaking at the conference, referring to Pope Benedict XVI statement that a male prostitute who intends to use a condom might be taking a first step toward greater responsibility said, "This has helped me to understand his position better and has opened up a new space for dialogue."

Source:

Vatican Radio
The Bellingham Herald

"The Church, especially the nuns, has been especially supportive," said Dr. Ofelia Monzon, founding president of the AIDS Society of the Philippines, adding that Church people have been a big help in counseling people with HIV.

She was speaking at a media seminar called Reducing Stigma and Discrimination Surrounding HIV and AIDS.

However, Dr. Monzon said the Catholic Church's stand against the use of condoms has "hindered" the campaign against the spread of the HIV virus.

"We had talks with the bishops [about condom use] but it seems to have had no effect," she said.

"We need to respect the beliefs of different religions... [but] we have the obligation to say that condoms can reduce the spread of HIV," Monzon added.

Despite this, deputy health secretary Dr. Eric Tayag said the Church can still be of help in fighting the spread of the virus.

He also tried to water down expectations the controversial reproductive health (RH) bill would check the spread of HIV/AIDs.

Those who claim the bill will slow down the spread of HIV and AIDS are "not being factual," Dr. Tayag said.

The best way to curb the spread of HIV, the health official said, is by educating people about the virus, he said.

The proposed bill "alone... cannot eradicate the problem," he added.

Source:

• ucanews.com used with permission

Program's director, Joanne Cohen says Fiji has a high rate of sexually transmitted diseases.

Cohen told Radio Australia's Pacific Beat program that condoms are not widely used or accepted and the prgram was part of a plan to merge counselling with other services available to patients.

"What we've done to try and normalise the use of condoms...we've actually worked with the Ministry of Health in Fiji so that every woman that comes into a ministry of health facility they are given this opportunity for awareness, for discussion about condoms," she said.

The one-day training program was run by Pacific Counselling and Social Services, a non-government organisation in Suva.

Source:
Australia Network News