National Condom Week (22 - 28th May) is chiefly targeted at the youth of New Zealand who are the most likely to play Russian roulette with their sexual health. Condom Week will celebrate the condom as a fun, but safe choice for young New Zealanders when it comes to sex.

Each year, results from the annual Durex Global Sex Survey show New Zealanders are a keen, amorous bunch that like to risk their sexual health by having unprotected sex. This was particularly evident in the 16-20 age group in the 2005 survey, and chiefly with young Kiwi women.

Up to 55 percent of New Zealand women aged 16-20 admitted to having had unsafe sex, compared to 43 percent of males (Durex Global Sex Survey 2005).

Last year's survey also found New Zealanders were the fourth highest in the world for having unsafe sex, with 65 percent admitting to having put themselves at risk- this result was almost 20 percent higher than the global average.

Family Planning Executive Director, Dr Gill Greer says Family Planning is delighted to be working with Durex to highlight the role of condoms in helping to reduce the spread of STIs, including HIV/AIDs and unwanted pregnancies.

"Condoms are very effective when used consistently and correctly. We hope National Condom Week will get people talking about condoms and making a commitment to use them," says Ms Greer.

Dr Gill Greer says Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) laboratory data, released last week, shows large increases in Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea which is the real evidence of unsafe sex. There was a 52 percent increase in Chlamydia diagnosis for the first quarter of this year in Auckland compared with the same period last year.

"We must be really concerned about this level of infection because it can lead to infertility if left untreated."

Other areas of concern for incidences of Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea include the Waikato and the Bay of Plenty region.

Victoria Potter, Durex NZ Manager adds: 'We hope National Condom Week will motivate the youth of New Zealand to build condoms into their social repertoire and, in doing so, safeguard their sexual health, as one mistake made now could possibly affect the rest of their life."