Introduction
STIS, SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS
For decades, South African youth have benefitted from robust government-supported condom distribution and educational programs that promote understanding of the importance of consistent condom use for preventing HIV, other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and unintended pregnancy [Nonetheless condom use within heterosexual partnerships is a dyadic behaviour influenced by multiple sociocultural factors. For example, multiple studies have shown that young people who talk about condom use with their partners are significantly more likely to have used a condom during their last sexual experience [However, AGYW’s likelihood to feel comfortable communicating about their needs with their male partners, including their desire to use condoms, is inherently dependent on sociocultural norms, many of which perpetuate gendered power imbalances, affect their sense of self-efficacy, and influence other behaviours that could put them at risk for HIV [Many AGYW, facing societal pressures, expectations, and gender inequality, such as gender violence, may turn to binge drinking as a coping mechanism [The relationships between perceived agency, financial support between partners in heterosexual relationships, binge drinking, and adolescents’ and young peoples’ sexual behaviours, including condom negotiation, remain under researched [