Traditional male circumcision among young people : a public health perspective in the context of HIV prevention
WHO
In many African societies, and among certain ethnic groups in other geographical regions, male circumcision is carried out for cultural reasons, as an initiation ritual and a rite of passage into manhood. In general the countries and communities where traditional male circumcision is performed are not those with high HIV prevalence and low levels of male circumcision. However, for a number of reasons, including concerns about the safety of the procedure carried out by providers without any formal training, traditional male circumcision is receiving increasing attention. Since most countries in sub-Saharan Africa practice traditional circumcision to some extent, it will be increasingly important for Ministries of Health to have a clear position on traditional male circumcision when rolling out male circumcision programmes for HIV prevention and developing related national policies, standards and guidelines.