What Are the Advantages of Male Circumcision for Women?

Wives, girlfriends, and mothers hold divergent views on the implications of large-scale male circumcision campaigns aimed at preventing HIV transmission. While the voices of women have often been sidelined in discussions about male circumcision as an HIV prevention strategy, informal conversations reveal a range of concerns, preferences, and insights that researchers and governments must consider before advancing national programs. A non-scientific survey conducted by IRIN/PlusNews among numerous women underscores this division, highlighting how such initiatives could reshape sexual dynamics, power imbalances, and health outcomes in intimate relationships. "This will be a boon for married women who are cheated on by their husbands," opined Carol Masombuka, a 19-year-old Sesotho woman from South Africa's Mpumalanga province. She emphasized that even partial protection from circumcision could empower women who lack the authority to insist on condom use, thereby reducing their vulnerability to HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Indeed, beyond HIV, studies have shown that women with circumcised partners experience lower risks of conditions like bacterial vaginosis, trichomoniasis, and human papillomavirus (HPV) infections, which can lead to cervical cancer—a leading cause of death among women in sub-Saharan Africa. However, skepticism abounds. Some women fear that circumcision might provide men with yet another pretext to forgo condoms, exacerbating existing ge