In a letter to the Research Directorate, an academic researcher associated with the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) in Boston who works with the Botswana-Harvard AIDS Institute Partnership-"a collaborative research and training initiative between the Government of the Republic of Botswana and the Harvard AIDS Institute" (Botswana-Harvard AIDS Institute n.d.)-in Gaborone, Botswana, states that "the Botswana Government has no law mandating male circumcision, at any age or in any situation. There are no consequences for refusing to be circumcised" (28 Aug. 2003).

This information is corroborated by a number of sources: A United Press International (UPI) report of 1 June 2002 attributes the high infection rate of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), estimated at 40 per cent, to the fact that circumcision "is not widely practiced" Botswana."

A study conducted by the Botswana-Harvard AIDS Institute Partnership, the Botswana Ministry of Health, the Harvard School of Public Health and the University of Botswana, between 17 March and 17 June 2001, stated that male circumcision is no longer a cultural practice in Botswana (18 Sept. 2002), nor is it offered as an option for male infants at government hospitals (Botswana-Harvard AIDS Institute et al. 18 Sept. 2002; Academic researcher 28 Aug. 2003).

The study, whose purpose was to "determine the acceptability of male circumcision in the country, as well as the preferred age and setting for male circumcision," was carried out at nine different locations in Botswana (Botswana-Harvard AIDS Institute et al. 18 Sept. 2002). After interviewing 605 adult subjects, including 238 uncircumcised men, 78 circumcised men, and 289 women drawn from "29 different tribal groups" throughout the country, the study came to the conclusion that male circumcision is highly accepted in Botswana, that it should be made available to parents for their male children, and that it "might also be an acceptable option for adults and adolescents, if its efficacy as an HIV prevention strategy is supported by clinical trials" (ibid.).

An article published in the Botswana Guardian by Frederick Klaits, "an American anthropologist who has worked in Gaborone since 1993," and Serara Mogwe, "a leader of the nursing profession in Botswana," argues that since public health efforts to prevent AIDS through behaviourial change have not resulted in reduced infection rates, "providing circumcisions at minimal cost-or ideally, for free?to all men in clinics on a voluntary basis, and strongly recommending that all boys be circumcised before they begin having sex, would be a radically different approach" (Jan. 2001).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Academic researcher, Harvard School of Public Health, Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Boston. 28 August 2003. Correspondence.

Botswana Guardian. January 2001. Frederick Klaits and Serara Mogwe. "Male Circumcision?An Answer to AIDS?" http://www.circumcisioninfo.com/botwana_guardian.html [Accessed 26 Aug. 2003]

The Botswana Harvard AIDS Institute Partnership for HIV Research and Education. n.d. "Background." http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/bhp/about_us/index.html [Accessed 26 Aug. 2003]

The Botswana Harvard AIDS Institute Partnership,The Botswana Ministry of Health,The Harvard School of Public Health and The University of Botswana. 18 September 2002. Roger Shapiro et al. "Male Circumcision: An Acceptable Strategy for HIV Prevention in Botswana." Prepared for Male Circumcision: Current Epidemiological and Field Evidence-Program and Policy Implications For HIV Prevention and Reproductive Health Special Meeting, Washington, DC, 18 September 2002. http://www.rho.org/men%2Brh%209-02/menrh_shapiro.ppt [Accessed 26 Aug. 2003]

United Press International (UPI). 1 June 2002. "Circumcision May Reduce HIV Transmission." http://www.aegis.com/news/upi/2002/UP020601.html [Accessed 26 Aug. 2003]

Additional Sources Counsulted

Africa Confidential

Africa Research Bulletin: Political, Social and Cultural Series

Dialog

Resource Centre. Country File. Botswana

Two oral sources consulted did not provide information on the requested subject.

Internet sources, including:

Africa Online

AllAfrica.com

BBC Africa

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