By Osman Mahmoudi

UNICEF reports that FGM/C remains prevalent in Iraqi Kurdistan, affecting over half of women who live there. The profound impact of this practice requires urgent medical and psychological support for survivors. However, a lack of specialized professionals in the region, and limited awareness of treatment options and complications, pose challenges. 

Cultural taboos and social constraints further impede survivors from seeking help, leading to discrimination, stigma, and reluctance to access essential services. As a family counselor and psychotherapist specializing in FGM/C,  I have conducted extensive research and provided psychological, sexual, and physical services to survivors and their partners. Between 2019 and 2023, I conducted numerous workshops for local teams in Iraqi Kurdistan, focusing on effective communication with survivors and providing comprehensive care. 

These sessions focused on understanding the complications of FGM/C and breaking the taboo’s surrounding the discussion of this practice. The workshops highlighted the lack of readily available psychological support for survivors, as well as cultural and social obstacles they face in opening up about their struggles. They also highlight how professionals – like doctors – lack awareness regarding proper treatment methods for FGM/C. However, participants' eagerness to learn and enhance care emphasized the need for continuous education and training in this domain. 

These experiences underscore the potential for improving survivor care through ongoing learning and educational initiatives. In 2023, after concluding the training sessions, the educational materials used were compiled into a publication titled “Living with FGM in Kurdish Regions.” This book aims to fill a significant gap in existing literature, and serves as a guide to help survivors enhance their quality of life. 

The book comprises five chapters, each of which explores various aspects of FGM/C:

• The first chapter dives into the historical and cultural context of the practice in Iraqi Kurdistan
• Chapter two focuses on the challenges Kurdish women face in openly discussing their experiences
• Chapter three stresses the importance of addressing survivors' physical health through comprehensive medical examinations and management strategies
• Chapters four and five explores the psychological and sexual impacts of FGM, offering insights into therapeutic interventions 

As a handbook, this publication also provides practical guidance on psychosexual therapy and social services. It marks a culture-oriented approach in the domain of “Life with female circumcision,” emphasizing the importance of respecting and empowering survivors while tailoring therapeutic approaches to their individual needs.

Related links:

In honor of Father’s Day 2024, Sahiyo’s male engagement program, Bhaiyo is launching a public awareness campaign to uplift the importance of male voices and allies in ending female genital cutting or FGC. Recognizing that FGM/C is a community health issue – not just a woman’s issue – the movement to end FGC needs additional male voices and allies to bring this issue to the forefront. 

This June, we’ll be holding a month-long campaign asking community members to share how they have raised the topic of FGC in conversation with the men in their lives – their brothers, fathers, husbands, friends, and more. 

To participate in the campaign: 

• Send us a video, quote, write-up, or photo about your experience engaging with men on the topic of FGC 
• Alternatively, you can send us a video, quote, write-up, or photo that uplifts how men can engage, educate, and build awareness about ending FGC

Submit your items to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by May 24, 2024.  The materials will be gathered together and shared on Sahiyo’s social media platforms throughout the month of June. 

Below are some questions you can consider asking someone in your life while trying to initiate a conversation about FGC: 

• When did you first come to know about FGC? 
• What is the role men can play in educating communities about FGC? 
• How can brothers/fathers make an impact in these conversations about ending FGC? 
• What message would you like to give to all the fathers and brothers out there about ending FGC?

You can ask for your experience to be shared anonymously, if you prefer.  For comments and inquiries about the campaign, please reach out to Samman Masud at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

PS: Sahiyo will soon be launching a survey around male engagement on FGC during our June Father’s Day campaign. We’ll be sharing more information in the future about how to participate!

Related links:

• How I took part in the Each One, Reach Bhaiyo Campaign: My experience with different Bhaiyos 

By Juliet Shires

In the 2024 legislative session, the Connecticut Judiciary Committee failed to raise a bill that would protect children from female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C). Rep. Jilian Gilchrest (D) would have sponsored the bill to create educational and outreach programs, issue civil remedies for survivors, and make FGM/C a clear criminal offense in the state. This marks the need for renewed efforts to build a stronger coalition to address this issue in legislation.

Zehra Patwa, a survivor of FGM/C, U.S Advisory Board member for Sahiyo, and CT resident outlines the disappointment many feel at the negligence of not raising this bill despite widespread support:

“I’m extremely disappointed that, despite strong support from both sides of the aisle, the bill to protect girls was not raised this session. Protecting the bodily integrity of girls could not be more important especially as we know, anecdotally, that the practice of FGM/C thrives in secret. This bill would have protected girls from the practice but also would have cared for those who have undergone this practice. Not having this bill pushed through puts girls and women in danger and tells them “You are not important”. That is unacceptable in my opinion.” 

The Connecticut Coalition to End FGM/C was formed in 2020 by individuals who were concerned about Connecticut being only one of nine states without legislation banning the practice of FGM/C. One such Connecticut resident included Jo Keogh, a psychotherapist who worked with organizations such as Sahiyo and the U.S. End FGM/C Network to form the original Coalition:

“About 95% of what I know now about FGM/C, I didn’t know at the beginning [of the coalition]. I just knew I didn’t want it to happen in my state,” says Keogh. Furthermore, there was fear that Connecticut could become a “safe haven” for people seeking to perform FGM/C from neighboring states in which FGM/C is illegal.

The CT Coalition aims to bring an end to the practice of FGM/C in the state by advocating for a holistic bill that includes educational outreach and input from the community, including those impacted by the FGM/C, such as survivors. One way the Coalition has garnered support for a bill is through a Change.org to ban FGM/C which has received over 80,000 signatures since its start in 2018.

The recent failure in the Connecticut legislature has shown the continued need for the Coalition’s continued work. Over 2,600 girls are at risk of undergoing FGM/C in Connecticut, despite it being globally considered a human rights violation. We need to urge the legislature to prioritize the passage of legislation surrounding FGM/C by calling on your representatives in Connecticut to take action in the next legislative session. 

Want to get involved? 

• Visit https://endfgmcinct.com/ for more information or contact the CT Coalition
• Volunteer with Sahiyo
• Sign the petition

By: Jaha Dukureh, a Gambian anti-female genital mutilation campaigner and the founder and executive director of Safe Hands for Girls. Jaha was named TIME Magazine's 100 Most Influential People for 2016 and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018.

After I spent years campaigning to outlaw female circumcision, finally my country started to listen. In 2015, The Gambia banned Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and imposed penalties on those who perform or practice it. As a survivor of FGM who played an instrumental role in this fight, I felt ecstatic when I heard the news.

But it was a joy that wasn’t to last.  If certain politicians have their way, the law will soon disappear and more young children will have to suffer the same pain I did. Some, like my half-sister, may lose their lives.

As a survivor of FGM born and raised in The Gambia, a Serahule, and a proud Muslim, my journey has been one of pain, resilience, and unwavering determination. I have learned that it is important to recognize my roots and the challenges that come from speaking up, especially if you are a woman and of my background. Today, as I reflect on the challenges that lie ahead, I am compelled to raise my voice in defense of the progress that has been made in protecting our daughters, our sisters, and future generations of women and girls.

I speak up for myself, for my generation, and for the millions of girls who will hear our story and say enough is enough. I will never perform this practice on my daughter. That statement, in itself, is the ultimate victory. And yet sadly, there are still many parents in The Gambia who are fighting for this practice to live on, ignoring our cries for it to end. 

Still, we refuse to be silenced and stand idly by as our daughters' bodies are mutilated, their futures stolen, and their dreams shattered. That's why, as the world celebrated women's achievements during Women’s History Month in March, we launched a petition to stop the repeal of the ban on FGM in The Gambia. 

But to be effective – to actually be heard – we need all of you to help tell our parents, “Enough is enough.”

Our campaign has given voices to many young girls who continue to unapologetically lead movements to help change social norms. But today, we also need to be honest with ourselves. As much as I am emotionally invested in the campaign, I have always recognized my limitations, especially when I decided to bring my campaign home. If you have the chance to watch Jaha’s Promise, you will understand what I am trying to explain. I was returning home to join a decades-long campaign to end this harmful practice, but it wasn’t easy. 

As young people, we developed a whole society approach to eradicating the practice. This required us to organize but also to engage with those who had different views than us. Those Gambians for whom FGM is considered a sacred passage that women have to go through. Those fathers, like mine, who gave consent to the practice without understanding what we go through.

Like in many parts of Africa, FGM remains a deeply entrenched tradition in The Gambia, affecting a significant portion of the population.  According to the United Nations Population Fund, 75 percent of women and girls aged 15-49 have undergone some form of FGM. This practice cuts across ethnic, religious, and cultural boundaries, affecting various communities nationwide. If lawmakers overturn the law now, the numbers will only increase.

The proposed repeal is not just a legal issue; it is a moral imperative, a test of our humanity, and a reflection of our values as a society. It sends a dangerous message that the rights and dignity of girls are expendable, that their bodies are mere vessels for the preservation of harmful traditions. 

But we know better. We know that FGM is a violation of human rights, a form of violence against women and girls, and a practice that should end with us. That's why we are mobilizing, organizing, and uniting to raise the alarm for the rights of all girls to live free from fear and harm. 

Our petition is more than just signatures on a page; it is a collective call to our parents to listen to the voice of reason and understand the harm that we go through. As a survivor, I know firsthand the pain and trauma inflicted by FGM. But I also know the power of resilience, the strength of solidarity, and the hope that springs from the darkest of places. 

Join me – join all of us survivors – as we raise our voices, protect our girls, and say no to the repeal of the ban on FGM in The Gambia.  Sign our petition, raise awareness, and stand in solidarity with survivors of FGM. Together, we can protect our girls and build a world where every woman and girl is empowered to live a life of dignity, freedom, and equality. We owe it to our daughters, our sisters, and ourselves to mobilize our communities and demand accountability from our leaders. 

Our parents aren't listening to us — our politicians aren't listening to us — which is why we need your voice, too. With your help, our collective voices will be so loud they’ll be impossible to ignore.

#StopFGMRepealGambia #ProtectOurGirls #EndFGM 

Jaha Dukureh, Founder & CEO of Safe Hands for Girls

Council member Nalafem Collective

The Gambia

Related links:

• Behind the Wall by Gambian activist and FGC survivor Isatou Jallow
• UNICEF released new data on global prevalence of FGM/C 

By: Umme Kulsoom Arif 

Pronouns: they/them 

Age: 29

Why Did You Want To Attend The Activist Retreat?

I attended the Activist Retreat for the first time virtually in 2022, and it was a really affirming experience over those three days. However, I was really excited for an in-person retreat, especially because I had not really interacted with other Bohras who had experienced FGM/C or were even open to talking about the practice. I wanted to meet others who are doing the work that I was doing. 

I’ve always treated the Activist Retreat as a part of the healing of my inner child and as a part of my journey through the five stages of grief.  For the first year I attended, I was in the stage of anger over what had happened to me. During the second year, it was about forgiveness, because my mother and I have had some conversations about khatna since that first retreat.

What Have You Learned or Most Enjoyed at This Retreat?

I really was blown away by the sheer scale and range of ages of a lot of people. I’ve always thought that FGC activism was a young person's job. Our generation was doing the work, because previous generations had ostensibly failed us. 

So I was really blindsided – yet also impressed and pleased to see – that we had moms and grandmothers in the space talking about how they prevented their daughters from being cut, or they themselves were saved from it. Learning that this work had been going on for longer than I have been alive was one of the most beautiful things to hear and just really empowering.

Why Are You Involved in the Movement Against Female Genital Cutting?

I was five when I was cut, and I was 19 when I found out. At the time that I found out I had been cut, I had one younger cousin and she was also cut despite my family's best attempts to prevent it from happening. For me, it's become important to change the narrative around the issue because even if our families try to prevent it from happening, it still happens to those we love.

That realization was really powerful and frustrating for me, because we deserve better out of our culture and our faith. It's also important for me as somebody who sees how much my mom loves being a Bohra, to make it something that she doesn't have to feel guilty or justify being because of the practice.

How Do You Think That This Retreat Will Inform Your Work as an Activist?

We had some interesting conversations at the retreat, especially around the Detroit case, and it forced me to process a lot of empathy for those who unfortunately do practice FGM/C. I also had the realization that the practice almost leads to a sort of cult-like mentality. As much as we know that “do no harm” from doctors is part of their oath, the harm of FGM/C does not seem to be seen as harm. That has changed a lot of my anger towards the culture, and it has just forced me to be a little bit kinder in thought to those who still support and practice it — especially as we are trying to change their minds.

What Work Are You Doing Currently or Are Hoping to Do In the Future?

I'm working on presenting a paper for the Association for Asian Studies Conference on March 14-17. It’s about the intersection of queerness and FGM/C, and what it means to be a non-binary survivor of FGM/C in a space that is incredibly female-focused. One of the things I processed at the retreat was that these spaces— despite the fact that I use they/them pronouns—  are where I am most often referred to as a woman. That’s because most people consider the practice to be centered around womanhood and femininity.

As I don't engage with womanhood in a traditional manner, this can be difficult. So my work is centered around trying to reframe it for myself and other non-binary survivors. The harm was done to us was because of a perception of womanhood that was forced upon our bodies. And therein lies the second injustice of FGM/C for non-binary survivors – the denial of our ability to choose our own identities over the one that is placed upon us. That's what my paper is tackling.

How Did This Second Retreat Make You Feel? 

I felt empowered. The retreat always makes me feel powerful and I find myself leaving with a lot of clarity for what my next steps for my activism are in the coming year. One of my big goals that came out of the retreat was finishing the paper, as I mentioned previously. 

Also, finding others who had survived FGM/C – speaking to these people who had such varied lives, that weren't just centered around being a survivor –  makes me feel like we're not alone. There is a line by Rumi, the poet, “Ours is not a caravan of Despair”, and that line comes to me every time I think about the retreat—this is not the Caravan of Despair that we think it is when we're alone.

Do You Have Anything Else You Would Like to Share? Something You Can Share With Other People Who Might be Interested in The Retreat?

If you are ever afraid that you're not going to fit in because you don't fit the traditional mold of a survivor—you will. Everybody is very welcoming.

Related:

• Volunteer spotlight: Umme Kulsoom Arif
• On being a Nonbinary Survivor of FGM/C

A bill to protect children from female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) in Connecticut (CT) has not been raised by the Connecticut Judiciary Committee in the 2024 legislative session. This news comes as a shock to many survivors of FGM/C and anti-FGM/C activists who have been campaigning for the bill to be introduced. The bill would have been sponsored by Rep. Jilian Gilchrest (D), and would have created education and outreach programs, issued civil remedies for survivors, and created better access to healthcare for survivors of FGM/C. Additionally, the bill would have made it clear that FGM/C is a criminal offense in Connecticut. Currently, Connecticut is only one of nine states left in the U.S. that have no explicit legal protections against FGM/C. 

Over 2,600 girls are at risk of experiencing FGM/C in Connecticut. Around the country, over half a million women and girls are at risk or are survivors of the practice, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Additionally, Connecticut is surrounded by states that have outlawed the practice including New York and Massachusetts. By not following suit, Connecticut could become a safe haven for people who are seeking to practice FGM/C on girls from other states where the practice is illegal. 

Let's urge the Connecticut legislature to prioritize the passage of this crucial legislation because every girl deserves to grow up safe and empowered. Join us in advocating for the protection of girls from female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) by calling on your representatives in Connecticut to take action. Your support is crucial in safeguarding the rights and well-being of vulnerable children in Connecticut. 

Sign this call to action now!

For more information, please visit the CT Coalition website.

By Rachel Wine

On March 8th, 2024, UNICEF released Female Genital Mutilation: A Global Concern, a new report with updated data on the global prevalence of female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C). Compared to data released eight years ago, this reveals a 15% increase in the practice; survivors now number at 230 million. Data in the report also indicates slow progress to ending FGM/C, with a lag behind the population overall, and stagnation in some countries. One such country, The Gambia, recently voted to repeal its ban on FGM/C. The report asserts that, “though the pace of progress is picking up, the rate of decline would need to be 27 times faster to meet the target of eliminating female genital mutilation by 2030.”

While this report advances our understanding of FGM/C as a global practice and provides more relevant data for our work to end FGM/C, it is worth noting that Asian countries like India and Indonesia, and Middle Eastern countries like Pakistan and Iran are missing entirely. With the absence of this crucial data, we have no way of knowing the full scope of this harmful practice. This can be attributed to a lack of governmental support, as well as inadequate funding.

Sahiyo recently participated in an event that draws attention to the lack of adequate funding in the FGM/C sphere, of which the real obstacles in our effects to enact change can be seen in this report. “From Rhetoric to Reality: Closing the Funding Gap to End FGM/C”, a parallel event at the 68th U.N. Commission on the Status of Women meetings, was hosted by The Global Platform for Action to End FGM/C in partnership with the United States Mission to the United Nations on March 15th.

The Global Platform For Action to End FGM/C led the charge at the 2023 Women Deliver Conference to acknowledge the harms of insufficient funds in the work to end FGM/C. According to a Joint Letter by the Global Platform:

“By investing $2.4 billion by 2030 we could end FGM/C altogether in 31 priority countries. There is also a need to expand funding beyond the 31 countries which have national prevalence data on the practice; and provide funding for anti-FGM work in countries which have not traditionally been prioritized, including in Asia and the Middle East. Yet only $275 million in development assistance is available leaving a funding gap of >$2.1 billion; and these funds are not available proportionately across all countries where FGM/C is known to take place.” 

This statement certainly manifests in the data of the UNICEF report. 

In collaboration with hundreds of activists, grassroots organizations, international NGOs and academics who gathered at the Women Deliver 2023 Conference in Kigali, Rwanda, the Global Platform has created the Kigali Declaration to call for an increase and shift of funding to grassroots organizations, and a convening of a Global Summit for increased commitments and investments. You can sign onto the Declaration here, and join the growing number calling to #closethefundinggap. 

“I believe they don't really know what it is and how it is conducted, the procedures, and the negative impact that it has… It will be easy to say ‘don’t ban FGM’ when you don’t know what happened in there.” 

In S Danso’s country, men are working in Parliament to repeal the ban on female genital mutilation (FGM). However, S feels that her story of undergoing FGM and its impact will make those who wish to perform FGM on their loved ones reconsider. She felt it was important to be a part of the growing number of voices raised against FGM, and the Voices to End FGM/C digital storytelling workshop provided an opportunity to do so on an international level.

When asked why she wanted to attend the workshop and share her story of FGM, S’s answer was clear: raising awareness. She chose to tell the story of her experience undergoing the cut, with exact details of the ceremony and circumcision that are not well known. 

“If you are educating people, it is important to get right to the point.”

The Voices to End FGM/C workshop was also impactful to S in multiple ways, as she learned from the other participants, who came from different parts of the world. In particular, other survivors talked about how to deal with the “post-FGM whatsoever.”

“Things happen and you don’t know how to deal with it,” S explains of her experience as a survivor. However, people at the workshop “explained their healing process” as well as “how to do advocacy work and better convey [a] message to the people.”

“Hearing their stories… has motivated me to come up and give out my story. I feel so empowered and confident hearing all of their stories.”

S’s workshop experience represents that there is power in numbers, and in creating safe spaces where survivors can come together to share, to heal, and to advocate for change. 

S Danso is a Gambian National and a legal practitioner with over eight years of experience in community work and activism focusing on equality, inclusion and social justice. Currently, she is the secretary-general of One African Women’s Forum, an international organization that focuses on promoting women’s rights based in Nigeria. Sirra has impressed all with her warmth, wisdom, and kindness, but above all, her intellectual curiosity and a keen interest in social justice and equality remain exceptional.