Call to Action! The impact of funding decline on female empowerment through the FC2 female condom and the increase of HIV/AIDS Facts 36.7 million People living with HIV/AIDS worldwide 2015 1 in 25 Adults Are living with HIV in Sub Saharan Africa 1.1 million People died of AIDS-related illnesses worldwide 2015 70% Of people living with HIV worldwide are found in Sub-Saharan Africa 51% are women More than half of people living with HIV/AIDS are women Since the beginning of the epidemic, more than 70 million people have been infected with the HIV virus and about 35 million people have died of HIV. Globally, 36.7 million [34.0–39.8 million] people were living with HIV at the end of 2015. An estimated 0.8% [0.7-0.9%] of adults aged 15–49 years worldwide are living with HIV, although the burden of the epidemic continues to vary considerably between countries and regions. Sub-Saharan Africa remains most severely affected, with nearly 1 in every 25 adults (4.4%) living with HIV and accounting for nearly 70% of the people living with HIV worldwide (WHO, GHO Data). Problem Male and female condoms remain the only dual protection devices in the world that protect men and women from both STIs, such as HIV, as well as unplanned pregnancy. The FC2 female condom remains the only dual protection device in the world that is both WHO and USFDA approved and is under the full control of women. Research shows that when a male and female condom are both available in the same market the overall number of protected sex acts goes up with as much as 13% (2006: Hatzell, Feldblum & Van Damme). Historically, the FC2 female condom has been procured by UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) and USAID (United States Agency for International Development). Recently, UNFPA has had a 50% decrease in available funding for all their commodity procurement, and the USAID procurement budget is being slashed under the Trump administration leading to a major decline of female condom procurement in Africa: 20