Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC)

[jean-christophe Lurenbaum]

I open this topic to discuss VMMC.

[Timothy John]

VMMC expands beyond Africa

https://www.foregen.org/commentarium-articles/a-push-beyond-africa

I have some ideas for action that perhaps ICASM can undertake to address this 'cancer' of circumcision spreading across the globe.

1) Write an ICASM report addressing the human rights dimensions of MGC around the world and submit it to Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) urging that group to formulate a public policy opposing non-therapeutic circumcision of boys as an abuse of human rights. One of their programs is to address 'When Doctors Harm'

2) Have ICASM issue a letter of concern (complaint?) - and urge all member and related non-member organizations to do the same - to the UN Comte for the Rights of the Child (Geneva) about the spread of VMMC and asking them to come out with a public statement encouraging recognition of the human rights of boys and discouraging the spread of circ on specious medical grounds. This could perhaps happen quicker than the PHR report.

[jean-christophe Lurenbaum]

Good idea for ICASM to take an official stand against VMMC. Maybe we can add some other avenues to those proposed by Tim.

I am willing to contribute to the tracks opened by Tim if someone is willing to lead this work: I can in particular "organise" the collaborative process to facilitate the task of all participants in this work. Tell me if you want me to prepare a technical device for collaboration: preparation of a Google-Document allowing collaboration on this project in particular.

[Michael Winnel]

I am looking forward to seeing who wants to take the lead on this project. Also, given TB does not yet have official status as a charity or non-profit, would we be better writing letter to government & regulatory from Future Choices, given they have full charity status? (It adds credibility). Or writing the letter from both organisations, i.e. sending one letter, but having both org's on the letterhead. 

[jean-christophe Lurenbaum]

See also the centre of interest Circumcision and HIV/AIDS

For example:

UN Report: African opposition to mass circumcision (full), VMMC Experience Project, to UNCRC, 2019

“Voluntary medical male circumcision” (VMMC) is among the core strategies of the global AIDS response in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). VMMC programmes are administered by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), and largely funded through American taxpayers via four US government agencies: the President’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and the Department of Defense (DOD). 

The Israeli government has also provided African circumcision aid, including mass distribution of the Israeli-developed PrePexTM circumcision device; and the World Health Organisation (WHO) is reported to have consulted religious circumcision practitioners in Jerusalem prior to recommending mass African circumcision for HIV prevention.