At least 41 young men have died as a result of circumcision procedures performed as part of traditional initiation activities in South Africa. Traditional initiation is a rite of passage into manhood for young men. Every year some of the initiates die of complications of circumcision. This has forced the government to intervene through legislation to force initiation schools to be registered with authorities and ensure schools adhere to safety standards and medical advice. Unfortunately, this has not stopped the proliferation of illegal initiation schools where many of the deaths are reported.
In a related story, there is a fight in Gambia to overturn a ban on female genital mutilation (FGM). The Gambian court case, due to resume this month, comes after two babies bled to death after undergoing FGM in Gambia last year. When the practice of FGM came to international attention, it was generally referred to as “female circumcision”, but the UN has criticized the term because it draws a parallel with male circumcision which adds to the confusion between the distinctly difference practices. Many Eastern and Southern African countries encourage male circumcision to reduce HIV transmission; FGM, on the other hand, can potentially increase the risk of HIV transmission and has no known health benefit.
