USAID - In Celebration of Men: Stepping up for Male Circumcision

Link here. Excerpt:

'Posted by Emmanuel Njeuhmeli, Senior Biomedical Prevention Advisor, Office of HIV/AIDS

On November 19, the first ever International Men’s Day was celebrated in over 60 countries around the world. It was an occasion to put the spotlight on men’s health, improving gender relations, and recognize positive male role models who make valuable contributions to family, community and society. This year, we recognize and celebrate the hundreds of thousands of men in East and Southern Africa who are stepping up for Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC) to protect their own health and that of their families.

We also recognize the political, traditional and community leaders who are leading the charge in their countries and local communities. For many communities, male circumcision has cultural significance representing a rite of passage from childhood to manhood. Ministries of Health are working closely with traditional leaders to ensure that male circumcision is medically safe while still respecting the meaning of the tradition. In 2011, I participated in one such ceremony with the Changaani tribe at an “initiation camp” in a remote area of southern Zimbabwe where adolescent boys learn what it means to be a man. Despite the cultural challenges, the Zimbabwe Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MOHSW) with support from PEPFAR and USAID, and in collaboration with traditional leaders, was able to provide these boys with safe male circumcision services.

In June 2012, I was again fortunate to witness the kind of male leadership we celebrated on Nov. 19. Mr. Blessing Chebundo, Chairman of Zimbabwe Parliamentarians against AIDS, and a group of fellow Zimbabwe parliamentarians, underwent voluntary medical male circumcision to inspire other men in their country to follow suit. Zimbabwe aims to circumcise 1.2 million men aged 13 to 29 years by 2015 with the potential impact of preventing 750,000 new HIV infections. It will take leading by example, as demonstrated by Mr. Chebundo, to get this done.'