Lebanese NGO Marsa Sexual Health Center just released a video thoroughly demonstrating the right way to put on a condom.
The video, featuring Lebanese singer Hamed Sinno and actress Yumna Ghandour, aims to promote condom use in an effort to raise awareness on the prevention of sexually transmitted infections and diseases among youth populations.
"It is important for us to promote condom use among young people since we have seen a rise in HIV infections among young people. Some are even under 25 years old," Diana Abou Abbas, Executive Director at Marsa, told StepFeed.
There are in fact over 3,750 people infected with HIV in Lebanon, according to the government-sponsored National Campaign to Combat AIDS.
Marsa is trying to challenge the increasing statistics by highlighting the importance of safe sex by showing just how easy the use of condoms actually is.
"We cannot stand by and be silent about it anymore," Abbas added.
Breaking taboos revolving around sex and sexuality
The video aims to break taboos revolving around sex and sexuality, a subject that schools and universities seem to avoid altogether considering the lack of mandatory sex education courses.
"We've barely seen any ads that promote condom use in Lebanon on TV since the 1990s. As a result, young people in Lebanon are growing up with little or no information on sexual health and prevention," Diana Abou Abbas, Executive Director at Marsa, told StepFeed.
It also highlights the importance of practicing safe sex.
"As an NGO that provides awareness and education on sexual health, we find it imperial to talk openly about condom use and highlight the role condoms play in the prevention of sexually transmitted infections and unplanned pregnancies," Abbas added.
Why Hamed Sinno and Yumna Ghandour?
The NGOs featured Hamed Sinno, Mashrou Leila's lead singer, as the group has been supportive of Marsa for years.
"The band is very vocal about its politics and Hamed Sinno is an icon among young people given his outspoken and positive attitude," Abbas explained.
Marsa intentionally featured a female actress alongside Sinno to break the misconception that carrying condoms is exclusively a man's duty.
"We find it imperial to have a female figure promoting condom use to break the misconception that only men should carry condoms and to encourage women to demand condom usage during sexual encounters," she said.
People are absolutely loving it!
Kteer awi or too much?
"A great production" indeed
People are tagging their friends ... to learn how it's done!
