Lula tells Brazil to respect women, use condoms

RIO DE JANEIRO, March 7 (Reuters) Brazilians must show women more respect by using condoms during sex, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said today at an event to help women avoid sexually transmitted diseases.

''AIDS is growing among heterosexual women. We are going to fight hypocrisy. We need to give out condoms and teach people how to use them. People need to be taught how to have sex, that's the only way we will have an AIDS-free country,'' Lula said.

Lula's words marked the start of a new Health Ministry programme to lower AIDS infection rates among women, up 44 percent from 1995 to 2005.

The programme, started one day before International Women's Day tomorrow, aims to give out 14 million free female condoms and to double HIV-testing for women.

''Sex is something everybody likes, it's a biological necessity for humans, so what we must do is teach,'' Lula said.

''We have to improve the gray matter in people's brains so they understand that women should be respected.'' Brazil has been applauded by global health organisations for slowing overall AIDS infection rates by giving away free condoms. But studies show men sometimes ask women not to use condoms and women are more likely to be infected with HIV by men than vice versa.

One option for women is the female condom, a latex product women can insert before sex.

Women have the same legal rights as men in Brazil, but the culture is male-dominated, abortion is illegal and laws against domestic abuse and other crimes are weakly enforced.

Brazil is also the world's largest Roman Catholic nation, and the church frowns on condoms and premarital sex.

Reuters SRS VP0225