Prevalence of circumcision
The prevalence of circumcision is the percentage of males in a given population who have been circumcised, with the procedure most commonly being performed as a part of preventive healthcare, a religious obligation, or cultural practice.
Since 2010, both the World Health Organization and Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS have been promoting a higher rate of circumcision prevalence as a prevention against HIV transmission and some STIs in areas with high HIV transmission and low circumcision rates. Around 50% of all circumcisions worldwide are performed for reasons of preventive healthcare, while the other 50% are performed for other reasons, including religious and cultural.
In 2016, the global prevalence of circumcision was rising, predominantly due to HIV/AIDS programs in Africa and a higher fertility rate among countries where the procedure is commonly performed.