Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC) Video Discussion Guide [with Video]

Thu, 03/29/2012 - 08:49

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From the Communication for Change (C-Change) Project, this discussion guide and the accompanying video are intended to facilitate discussions, reflection, and debate about voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) and on the video’s storyline and contents. It emerges from an experience through which C-Change provided support to the Kenya Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC) programme from 2009 to 2011. C-Change worked closely with the Government of Kenya and partners to operationalise the National Male Circumcision Communication Strategy, developing 17 distinct materials in the VMMC Communication Toolkit in close collaboration with the Nyanza VMMC Provincial Task Force and the National VMMC Task Force.

One component of this toolkit is a 10-minute, 3-episode video that illustrates the critical role that women can play in supporting VMMC, both for their partners and within their communities. (Click here to watch the video on YouTube. Click here to read a synopsis.)

The accompanying guide can be used to facilitate single-sex or mixed group discussions about the video (roughly 45-60 minutes of discussion for each of the 3 episodes); the discussion questions provided are suggestions. The video and discussion guide also aim to underline the importance of interpersonal communication around VMMC, the benefits of VMMC, the decision-making process related to male circumcision, and some of the barriers to uptake of VMMC services.

Intended users of the guide include community-level professionals and workers (community mobilisers, peer educators, VMMC advocates, HIV counsellors, and communication specialists) who are promoting VMMC and HIV prevention. In addition to details about the video and how to approach discussion about it, the following skills are suggested for successful facilitation: "Successful facilitators use a participatory and interactive approach and make sure that all interactions are respectful...