10 May 2007: ISS Seminar, Pretoria: Male Circumcision and HIV, 10-11 May 2007

ISS Seminar: Male Circumcision and HIV
Pretoria, 10-11 May 2007

Presented by the Defence Sector Programme

New and apparently ‘compelling’ evidence has emerged linking Male Circumcision (MC) with a reduction in the rate of transmission of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) by as much as 50%. HIV prevalence rates in West Africa average between 3-5%, societies that practice MC. However, in Southern Africa, the epicentre of the pandemic where MC is only episodic, the prevalence rates have reached 20% or higher. This HIV prevalence rate discrepancy has convinced researchers to begin seriously considering the adoption of MC as one of the key strategies to combat the spread and incidence of HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa. This inexpensive method of combating the spread of HIV has, therefore, motivated the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the World Health Organization (WHO) and other international organizations working in the field, to consider providing different models and technical support for those Sub-Saharan Africans from Sub-Sahara communities ‘accepting’ the implementation of the nearly wholesale MC strategy.

Extending this strategy to different sectors presents diverse challenges. For example, integrating the MC strategy within African Armed Forces, a sector dominated by males is particularly challenging given the public health, cultural and human rights issues and the possible role of acting as change agents that the military may or may not play in the overall battle to combat HIV/AIDS. Overall, the apparent consensus on the utility of the MC strategy has also evoked critical response, especially from social scientists and practitioners, who have strongly argued that the advantages of MC are outweighed by some of its inherent disadvantage. Put simply, doubt has been raised on what appeared to be a straightforward policy recommendation.

It is towards providing an informed position to the complex challenges around MC, based on scientifically and empirically grounded research papers, focussing on whether or not African Armed Forces adopt MC as one of the available strategies, that the MilAIDS Project of the Defence Sector Programme (DSP) at the ISS, has organized a one and a half-day seminar starting on the morning of the 10th and ending at lunch time on the 11th of May 2007 in Tshwane (Pretoria).

Dates: Thursday, 10 May - Friday, 11 May 2007

Venue: Institute for Security Studies, Conference Room, Block C, Brooklyn Court, 361 Veale Street, New Muckleneuk
(Parking in Brooklyn Mall and ABSA Court)

Time: 09h30 to 16h00
RSVP: Amelia du Rand ([email protected])
Email: Zingisa Zibonti ([email protected])