DKT International: Social marketing for a better world

Mexico

• Heading 2: 142,760 CYPs in 2011

Nearly two decades after the government embarked on an ambitious birth control program, Mexico is becoming a model for family planning in developing countries. From 1973 to the present, Mexico’s annual growth rate fell from 3.2 to 2.2 percent, and now more than half of all Mexican women of childbearing age use some form of birth control.

But as many as 60 percent of women receiving state-sponsored birth control devices do so secretly because their husbands believe it might diminish their manhood or promote infidelity. In addition, state family planning programs face the challenge of reaching the 40 percent of Mexico’s population who are poor and live in rural villages.

Building on its successful program in Brazil, DKT began its program in Mexico at the end of 2003 by introducing a line of affordable scented and colored condoms under the Prudence brand name. They were followed by oral contraceptives and injectables in the second year of the program.

Despite Mexico’s success in lowering its birthrate, there still is a strong need for DKT’s program. Private companies have a strong contraceptive presence in the marketplace, but many of their brands are too expensive for the poor and do not reach those villagers who need them most. Currently, DKT’s program works with distributors that stock supermarkets, drugstores, and wholesalers.

In 2011, DKT’s program sold over 14 million condoms. This translates into 142,760 CYPs, an increase of 25 percent from last year.

For more information:

DKT México
Director: Karina de la Vega
Address: S.A. de C.V. Bosque de Ciruelos #160 P.H. 2, Colonia Bosque de las Lomas, Mexico, D.F. 11700
Tel:  52-55-5245-1211
Fax: 52-55-5596-1477
E-mail: karina@dktinternational.org
Web site: www.dkt.com.mx