France set to make condoms free for anyone under 25 starting January 1
French President Emmanuel Macron said that condoms would soon be made available for free for people aged between 18 and 25 years. The step is being taken to reduce unwanted pregnancies and spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
FollowPresident Emmanuel Macron stated that starting 2023 everyone under the age of 25 would be able to get condoms for free in pharmacies. The government has reported an increase in sexually transmitted illnesses among young people, and the unusual inflation this year is severely impacting the budgets of France's poorest citizens.
As part of the government's attempts to guarantee that young people of all economic levels can avoid unintended births, girls and women under the age of 25 already have access to free birth control in France. However, current policies don't include men or particularly deal with access for non-binary or transgender persons.
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As of January 1, everyone between the ages of 18 and 25 will be able to get condoms for free at pharmacies, according to remarks made by Macron on Thursday. However, the president agreed to broaden the programme after being questioned on social media on Friday by a French TV host and others about why the condom policy did not cover children.
In a selfie video he recorded on the margins of a summit in Spain, Macron said, "Let's do it." Later, he wrote on Twitter, "A lot of children also have sex. They need to protect themselves too."
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When he was initially elected as president of France in 2017, at the age of 39, Macron was the country's youngest-ever leader. He also pledged to intensify efforts to screen for and prevent HIV and other STVs.
The state-run healthcare system in France covers part but not all of the cost of contraception, and low-income people sometimes have to wait a long time for medical consultations. Everyone in France has access to free abortions.
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