World Vasectomy Day (WVD) is a worldwide movement about starting conversations, helping men and their families become more informed about their choices, and creating alliances with governments, organisations, and individuals willing to help train providers, educate families, and deliver services to men who are stepping up for their loved ones. WVD will be taking place from November 12-16, in dozens of countries. It is a two-week event that is produced from where the movement works with the local providers and health care providers to build sustainable vasectomy programmes.

WVD was founded in 2012 by the American filmmaker Jonathan Stack while he was working on a documentary about the decision of having a vasectom; The underlying goal was to involve men in family planning decisions and educate them about vasectomies as a simple way of taking responsibility for birth control.

Vasectomy is a surgical procedure for male sterili sation or permanent contraception. The family planning community has largely ignored men, but when presented with accurate and compelling infor mation, many men will share responsibility for family planning. For those whose families are complete, and who want to support their wives and children by voluntarily choosing to get a vasectomy, we believe that the family planning community needs to respond with up-to-date information and quality procedures. The WVD gives an opportunity to educate men and women about a variety of family planning options.

WVD continues to spread and grow - continually inspiring men who rise up out of love for their family, their partners and our future. It is a year round effort that builds awareness through communication and community, through collective effort by creating strategic alliances with Ministries of Health, Family Planning organisations and consci-