The lack of global specifications for safe and non-toxic personal lubricants led UNFPA and partners to develop guidance for professionals who produce, procure and distribute these products for reproductive health programmes.

This publication presents the World Health Organization/United Nations Population Fund specifications for plain lubricants to be used with male and female condoms, and addresses issues raised in the global consultation on personal lubricants convened by UNFPA, as well as key concepts and terminology.

The purpose of this technical brief is to provide information for countries preparing funding requests for comprehensive condom programmes. The brief describes best practices in condom programming in countries with moderate to high HIV burden, where strong condom programs are essential to national HIV prevention efforts as well as prevention of other sexually-transmitted infections (STIs) and unintended pregnancies. Significant weaknesses in program stewardship, demand, and supply result in lower than desired levels of condom use in many of these countries.