Key Points
- France is making condoms free for under 25s.
- Australians can already access them free at some clinics.
- Some states are also making period products free.
France will make condoms free in pharmacies for anyone up to age 25 in the new year, President Emmanuel Macron says.
"It is a small revolution of prevention," he said during a health debate with young people in Fontaine-le-Comte, western France.
He said there is a lot of room for improvement in sexual education in schools, adding that "it's an area where we need to do much better to educate our teachers".
The move comes as the government says sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are on the rise among young people, and as this year's exceptional inflation is cutting especially deeply into the budgets of France's poorest.
Girls and women aged 25 and under already can get free birth control in France as part of government efforts to ensure young people of all incomes can prevent unwanted pregnancy.
Existing measures do not apply to men, or specifically address access for transgender or non-binary people.
Between 2017-2018, there were 84,436 STIs by Australian males, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
Chlamydia was the most common (48,335 cases), followed by gonorrhoea (21,010 cases).
Australians can already find free condoms at different clinics around Australia. Here are some of the different locations where they're available.
NSW
Free condoms are available to under 30s in NSW through Freedom Condom, an initiative by Family Planning NSW.
There are over 120 Freedom Condom providers in NSW, including clinics and youth services.
Victoria
Melbourne's Sexual Healthcare Clinic (MSHC) located at 580 Swanston Street
Carlton, Victoria, offers free condoms.
MSHC also provides free needle and syringe programs, and STI testing.
Queensland
Wrapped 'n Ready is a free condom distribution program run by the Queensland AIDS Council (QuAC).
QuAC provides free safe sex packs (which contain lube and your choice of condoms, female condoms, or dams) to people at risk of HIV and STIs, organisations and health services in Queensland.
Tasmania
The Tasmania government's involves the provision of free condoms and lubricant to young people aged between 12 and 24.
Described as " a coffee card for condoms", there are currently two locations that offer the C Card program: Ravenswood Community Health Centre and headspace Launceston.
South Australia
SHINE's Sex Industry Network shop is located at 200 South Road, Mile End, South Australia.
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory government outlines where people can find free condoms, across a variety of clinics.
One of those is Clinic 34, located at Red Wing, Building 4, Royal Darwin Hospital (RDH) campus 105 Rocklands Drive, Tiwi.
Western Australia
WAAC provides free condoms to individuals and venues, to promote safe sex and fight against the spread of disease.
Canberra
People can find free condoms at the Canberra Sexual Health Centre located at the Canberra Hospital: 5 Gilmore Crescent Garran, ACT.
States push for free pads, tampons
During the 2022 Victorian state election, the Labor party promised to make pads and tampons free for women and girls.
Labor’s plan will see 1,500 pad and tampon dispensing machines installed at up to 700 sites including public hospitals, courts, TAFEs, libraries and train stations.
Other states and territories are also fighting against so-called "period poverty", with Queensland being the latest state to provide free period products at public high schools.
In March, NSW announced a $30 million program to place free pads and tampons in every state school.
In 2021, the South Australian government announced it would spend $450,000 over the next three years to pay for free pads and tampons at all public schools.
