- +1 508-263-0112
- info@sahiyo.org
- 45 Prospect Street, Cambridge, MA, 02139
To bring an end to the practice of female genital cutting (also known as female genital mutilation or female circumcision), which is a violation of human rights and an act of sexual assault.
To enable a culture in which a woman/girl’s body and female sexuality is not feared or suppressed, but embraced as normal.
To recognize and emphasize the values of consent and a child/woman’s right over her own body.
We value diversity in many forms. We are committed to being change agents that contribute to a just and equitable society. We embrace diversity and deliver the utmost value to our stakeholders. We believe that integrity is the foundation of all that we do at Sahiyo, from our individual choices to our collective actions. We seek out dialogue with community members with various views on female genital cutting to encourage discussion. We pursue dialogue, not debate, understanding that social change can only happen when open communication is allowed.
We pursue honorable initiatives and conduct our operations and financial management in a transparent and ethical manner.
We are effective in achieving our mission and hold ourselves accountable to our stakeholders, community, constituents, donors, board, staff, volunteers, collaborators, government, etc.
We use effective communication in our daily operations of Sahiyo to ensure the highest integrity of our programs. Effective communication means conveying a message clearly and concisely, ensuring the receiver(s) fully understands the intended meaning and is guided by principles like clarity, conciseness, active listening, respect, completeness, and providing feedback to ensure the message is received accurately; essentially, it's about open and transparent exchange of information where all parties feel heard and understood.
Mutual trust and respect are prerequisites for open communication and honest dialogue about values, goals, and expectations. They require freedom of expression without fear of retribution, institutional or otherwise, and value the diversity of persons, ideas, and choices differing from one's own.
Consensus decision-making allows us to reach a creative and dynamic agreement with all Sahiyo team members. We strive to use consensus as much as possible to find solutions that team members actively support or understand. If consensus can not be reached, we seek to understand and convey the ways of the majority.
Through teamwork, we bring together diverse skills in complementary roles, fostering collaboration and cooperation. Organizations are far more likely to succeed when their people work effectively as a team. This is because strong teamwork generates synergy—where the collective impact of the team surpasses the sum of individual contributions. By working together, teams leverage varied perspectives, experiences, and expertise to tackle complex challenges, unlocking innovative solutions and ideas that might be unattainable for any one individual alone.
We work with individuals, organizations, and coalitions in a collaborative manner. We value and promote effective partnerships between volunteers, trustees, and staff leadership at all levels of the organization. We are better together. We encourage strategic collaboration to bring out the best solutions and strengthen the fabric of our communities.
We practice the philosophies of feminism and humanism in our daily interactions, recognizing that both frameworks emphasize the value and agency of human beings, individually and collectively.
We employ adaptive capacity, meaning we are responsive and flexible to change.
Nine videos from the 8th Voices to End FGM/C project released
Sahiyo co-organizes “Preventing FGM/C in Connecticut – Why Comprehensive Laws Matter” panel. Special guests and co-hosts included Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz and the Governor’s Council on Women & Girls
The World Bank invites Sahiyo to host a screening of Voices to End FGM/C videos in honor of International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting
The Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) invites The Milken Institute School of Public Health, alongside Sahiyo U.S. and others to become technical assistance providers on FGM/C to service-providers who receive Office of Violence Against Women grants
In partnership with the San Francisco Domestic Violence Consortium (SF-DVC), Sahiyo delivers an "FGC-101" training to 16 advocates and community-based attorneys from across the San Francisco Bay area
Examining Intersections Between Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting And Social Oppressions: A Mixed Methods Study, second of three reports from Critical Intersections Research Project, is published
Equality Now releases trailer for “The Beginning,” Asia’s first-ever fiction film on FGC. Written and directed by Sahiyo’s co-founder Insia Dariwala
Voices to End FGM/C Screening Guide, an educational resource developed by Sahiyo, Silence Speaks, and the Asian Women’s Shelter, launches
The Global Platform for Action to End FGM/C host parallel event at the 68th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68), From Rhetoric to Reality: Closing the Funding Gap to End FGM/C
WA DOH awards Sahiyo, the U.S. End FGM/C Network, and Mother Africa the Prevention of and Response to Female Genital Cutting (FGC) contract to provide expert consultation to DOH staff to implement SSB 5453 and deliver FGC training to state agency staff, survivors, community members impacted by FGC, and health care providers, among other audiences across Washington. Events in connection to this partnership hosted in April and June
Sahiyo continues training tied to Critical Intersections Research Project, to the World Bank, Equality Now
Sahiyo held webinar educating media professionals on how to report on FGM/C in an impactful, fair, and sensitive manner. Special guest was Washington State Senator Karen Keiser, who sponsored the bill on FGM/C that passed in April 2023
The Population Institute published its "Behind Closed Doors: Exposing and Addressing Harmful Gender-Based Practices in the United States” report, Sahiyo served as advisor to the report
Sahiyo hosts trainings to the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault (ICASA)
Bhaiyo launches public awareness campaign to uplift the importance of male voices and allies in ending female genital cutting
Ten new Voices videos produced after Sahiyo holds its 9th Voices to End FGM/C workshop
Sahiyo invited to the fifty-sixth session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, Switzerland, to speak on a panel about cross-border and transnational female genital cutting (FGC), alongside high-level officials
Eighth annual Activists Retreat takes place. For the first time the retreat welcomed members of the participants from Asian Pacific Islander (API) and Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) communities
Sahiyo teams up with Womankind for FGC 101 Training
Sahiyo releases new impact report: Policy Outreach, Education, and Advocacy Program
Sahiyo receives 5-year grant from Massachusetts Community Health and Healthy Aging Funds to create a state-wide coordinated system of care to address FGM/C
Sahiyo launches Sharing Your Experience with Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) Guide
Sahiyo, in partnership with The U.S. End FGM/C Network, announces the FGM/C Policy Advocate Care Fund, designed to provide vital resources and support to those tirelessly working on policy initiatives to address FGM/C
Sahiyo releases the Survivor and Community Engagement Toolkit. The resource provides guidance on best practices for outreach to FGM/C-impacted communities in the U.S
Sahiyo supports the Global Collaboration to End FGM/C Conference in Washington D.C, a two-day event that brought together key stakeholders committed to ending FGC worldwide
Sahiyo hosts a Thaal Pe Charcha event in Mumbai. where Sahiyo Co-founder, Insia Dariwala’s film was screened
Bhaiyo: A Male Ally Initiative to Support Ending Female Genital Cutting report released, highlighting program impact from 2021 through 2022
Connecticut Governor and Lieutenant Governor issued a Proclamation and Citation recognizing Feb 6th, International Day of Zero Tolerance of FGM/C in response to advocacy from the Connecticut Coalition to End FGM/C, which Sahiyo helped cofound
For the first time, Sahiyo held a virtual silent auction to raise $15K on International Women's Day, March 8th
The Washington Coalition to End FGM/C, in partnership with Sahiyo, The U.S. End FGM/C Network, Children’s Alliance, and Mother Africa, hosted Protecting Children in Washington State from Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting
Seven videos from the 7th Voices to End FGM/C workshop released
Washington state Governor Jay Inslee signed Senate Bill 5453 on April 20th, 2023, concerning FGC into law, due to advocacy from the Washington Coalition to End FGM/C, which Sahiyo cofounded
Voices to End FGM/C program initiates Healing Circles for Voices Alumni in partnership with the Asian Women’s Shelter
More Than a Survivor: Celebrating Queer Joy Campaign public awareness campaigns uplift Queer FGC survivors
FGC recognized as sexual assault as Sahiyo receives grant from the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act
Sahiyo, the U.S. Network to End FGM/C, and RTI International create training for social workers on female genital cutting (FGC), with support from the National Association of Social Workers to provide continuing education units to licensed social-work professionals
The Massachusetts Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners and Sahiyo host trainings on FGM/C at the School Nurses International Conference
The Global Platform for Action to End FGM/C organized 2023 Women Deliver Pre-Conference on FGM/C and launched Kigali Declaration
First of three reports in the critical intersections project, Examining the Current State of Critical Intersections: Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting and Social oppressions, published
Eighth Voices to END FGM/C Workshop held in California with nine participants and resources created to allow others to host screenings utilizing the Voices videos
South Asian SOAR and Sahiyo trained service providers in the gender-based violence sector working with South Asian communities throughout the country
Sahiyo cohosted legislative briefing on FGM/C with the Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity and Opportunity (CWCSEO) and Connecticut Representative Jillian Gilchrest
Training sessions based on Critical Intersections research actualize research findings. First presentation given to The Girl Generation
Voices to End FGM/C podcast launched and available on Voices website, Apple Podcasts and Spotify
