Turkey

30,622 CYPs in 2009

Turkey has long been involved in efforts to improve maternal and child health.  Turkey legalized family planning education and the provision of contraception in the mid-1960s and legalized abortion and sterilization in 1983. 

Turkey’s family planning programs are relatively advanced and have helped the country achieve a contraceptive prevalence rate of 64 percent.  However, there is still a high degree of reliance on traditional methods, especially withdrawal.

Most Turkish couples want small families.  Yet the high rate of failure rate of Turkey’s most popular method – a pregnancy rate of 33 percent associated with withdrawal – combined with the desire for smaller families has resulted in high rates of unintended pregnancy and abortion.  Twenty-seven percent of Turkish woman have had one or two abortions. 

Founded in 2008, DKT-Turkey is a social marketing enterprise with a mission to prevent unwanted pregnancies and HIV/AIDS.  DKT’s decision to establish a program in Turkey was based on the country’s high rates of unintended pregnancies and abortion, a low usage rate of modern contraceptives, and a high-priced commercial condom market.

Recently, DKT began marketing two lines of condoms in Turkey along with innovative educational campaigns to promote their use.  In addition, DKT-Turkey markets a female condom and a line of lubricants, which reduces the risk of HIV/AIDS.  The goal of DKT-Turkey is to increase condom availability and reduce condom prices in the commercial sector and to become a self-sustaining enterprise.

DKT-Turkey began in 2009.  In its first year, this program sold over 3 million condoms, which translates into 30,622 CYPs.

Links to DKT-Turkey
www.fiestacondom.com
www.kadinkondomu.com