On June 27, 2025, Sahiyo, in partnership with Equality Now and the U.S. End FGM/C Network, hosted a roundtable discussion titled “FGM/C in California: Continuing the Conversation.” This roundtable built upon the October 2024 webinar, “Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting in California – Past, Present, and Future,” and brought together advocates, survivors, service providers, and community members interested in learning more about how to strengthen California’s legislative approach to addressing female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C).
The roundtable featured conversations facilitated by Mariya Taher and Rachel Aguilar of Sahiyo, Ana Law of Equality Now, and Kaitlin Mitchell of the U.S. End FGM/C Network. Together, they shared introductory information about FGM/C, specifically in CA, legislative and policy insights, data on the prevalence of FGM/C in California, and reflections on previous advocacy efforts in the state. The collective discussion with attendees emphasized several key priorities for strengthening California’s FGM/C law, including:
- Updating the legal language to reflect the reorganization of relevant state health agencies
- Prohibiting “vacation cutting” (traveling out of state or country to perform FGM/C) and
- Securing funding for educational outreach efforts statewide
The conversation also emphasized the importance of supporting partnerships with community organizations and allowing survivors to lead the way towards coalition building and legislative change. The goals of this new survivor-led coalition include increasing training for mental health professionals to address FGM/C-related trauma, avoiding the stigmatization of immigrant communities, and promoting culturally sensitive, survivor-led approaches to advocacy and intervention.
Overall, the roundtable featured a highly engaged audience and an open discussion, where participants shared questions, insights, and personal experiences related to advocacy, policy gaps, and coalition-building. Attendees also expressed a strong desire to move forward collectively to address FGC, with many emphasizing the importance of centering survivor voices in all aspects of reform.
The roundtable ended with a clearer understanding of the urgent need for legislative updates in California and renewed momentum to advocate for stronger, more inclusive protections. It marked another step forward in building a survivor-centered, community-driven movement to end FGM/C in California.
