By Samman Masud

Sahiyo U.S. Executive Director Mariya Taher attended the Global Collaboration to End FGM/C Conference in Washington D.C, a two-day event that brought together key stakeholders committed to ending female genital cutting worldwide from October 28-29, along with Community Engagement Coordinator Samman Masud as well as Advisory Board Members Nesha Abiraj and Absa Samba. Held at The George Washington Milken Institute School of Public Health, this gathering included participants from the international community and a diverse group of experts, including philanthropists, global regional FGM/C networks, U.S. government entities, civil society organizations and activists that work together to end FGM/C. The conference, which began with a networking event followed by intimate fireside chats and conversations with these partners sought to address a key challenge to progress in global FGM/C advocacy: the funding gap and significant lack of resources allocated to prevent and respond to violence against women, particularly FGM/C. 

Psychotherapist and Global Advocacy Director for The Girl Generation, Dr. Leyla Hussain, led the opening remarks. Dr. Wisal Ahmed, the Global Coordinator for the UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on the Elimination of FGM,  Susan Gibbs – Senior Advisor on Women’s Rights & FGM at Wallace Global Fund – and Dr. Kakenya Ntaiya – founder of Kakenya’s Dream – also welcomed attendees with speeches that recognized FGM/C as a pressing gender-based violence issue. They also portrayed it as an alarming public health crisis, bringing with it intersecting problems of child-marriage, human trafficking, and rising mortality rates between women and girls around the globe. 

A panel discussion moderated by Sahiyo’s Mariya Taher titled, “Current Global Efforts to End FGM/C”, included representatives from Asian, African, European, and the U.S. and Canadian regional networks, where participants discussed issues related to anti-FGM/C advocacy that were prevalent and specific to their communities. 

Conference attendees also watched a private screening of the short film, “The Beginning”, directed by Sahiyo Co-Founder Insia Dariwala. The film captures a mother’s trauma as a survivor of FGM/C, and her mission to stop family members from performing the same ritual on her daughter.

The fireside chats with philanthropists and civil society organizations were well received, with engaging conversations about barriers that halt progress in anti-FGM/C efforts on a global scale. In a concluding but critical closing session, all conference attendees participated in a group activity to further build out recommendations initially discussed at Women Deliver 2024 in Kigali, Rwanda, on specifically funding grassroots FGM/C movements and organizations. Participants collaborated to brainstorm best practices for grantmaking in the sector that are inclusive and adaptable to the realities on the ground for activists and organizers. These recurring conversations involved the importance of long-term and sustainable funding to address FGM/C, and to drive policy changes and community-based solutions for survivors and at-risk communities.

Sahiyo U.S. invites you to join our upcoming training session: Prevention Efforts for FGM/C Across the Country on December 12, 2024 at 12-1:30 PM PT/ 3-4:30 PM ET.

This training was developed in collaboration with our project partners the U.S. End FGM/C Network, Mother Africa, and the Washington Department of Health, as part of our efforts to prevent and respond to FGM/C in Washington State. In this session we will delve into prevention programming and efforts on FGM/C in the United States. Our aim is to equip organizations, service providers, advocates, and community leaders with the knowledge, tools, and frameworks to best engage in preventing FGM/C.

Through this training we will uplift best practices and insights on prevention programming and provide individuals and organizations with the knowledge and skills to engage in effective and culturally sensitive prevention work. The training will also feature speakers from organizations that have successfully integrated prevention programming strategies into their work to stop FGM/C and save those who are at risk. 

By the end of the session, participants will:

• Be introduced to case studies of impactful prevention programs, showcasing key success factors and lessons learned
• Identify strategies for building cross-sector collaborations and partnerships
• Learn about best practices for engaging communities in prevention efforts

Register here!

Date: December 10, 2024 

Time: 4-5:30 PM PT/7-8:30 PM ET

Registration link: https://bit.ly/RegisterVoices24Screening 

On Tuesday, December 10th at 4-5:30 PM P.T./7-8:30 PM E.T., Sahiyo – in partnership with Asian Women’s Shelter and Silence Speaks – will host a screening of the newest set of Voices to End FGM/C digital stories, created by survivors of and advocates working to end female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C). In addition to viewing these 10 new poignant stories, attendees will hear from some of the storytellers themselves about their experiences in the storytelling workshop and their work to end FGM/C. 

“It’s like we created our own community as we held space for one another while bearing witness to each other’s stories as they were told. I also appreciated and valued the accommodations made to ensure that all participants had the best possible experience. It’s things like this that made the workshop a special and meaningful space to be a part of. ”

- Musu Bakoto Sawo, Voices ‘24 Workshop Participant  

The Voices to End FGM/C program is a digital storytelling project created by Silence Speaks and Sahiyo that aims to mobilize a critical mass of survivors and activists from across the globe. Voices to END FGM/C brings people together to share and heal from their experiences of FGM/C, to connect and grow as leaders in their own communities, and to create short videos calling for an end to this harmful practice.

If you are interested in hosting a screening showcasing digital stories from Voices to End FGM/C with your own organization, with classmates, or with co-workers, check our new Voices to End FGM/C Screening Guide! This is an  in-depth resource with discussion questions, FAQs, and event planning templates.    

For any questions related to this guide or our Voices program, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..  

On October 29, Sahiyo U.S. partnered with AshaKiran, an Alabama-based organization, to host a Female Genital Cutting 101: An Introduction to FGC training. AshaKiran is dedicated to supporting underserved communities in crises such as domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking born outside of the U.S.

This training focused on building foundational knowledge around FGC and its impact on women and girls both in the United States and globally. Led by Sahiyo’s Training and Technical Assistance Coordinator Aries Nuño, Volunteer Huda Syed, and Development Intern Elaina Baliner, the session addressed FGC as a form of gender-based violence (GBV) that remains largely hidden and perpetuated by silence within communities.

A key discussion point was Alabama’s unique position as one of the states without specific laws against FGC, emphasizing the importance of advocacy, policy change, and increased awareness in areas where legal protections for women and girls remain limited.

Participants explored the need for trauma-informed, culturally sensitive services, as well as the role of enhanced data, research, and community engagement to strengthen prevention, protection, and support for those at risk of FGC. Through an open and compassionate dialogue, attendees gained practical tools to approach FGC with empathy and understanding, underscoring the importance of informed conversations in order to foster change.

We are grateful to AshaKiran, our dedicated presenters, and all the participants for coming together to learn about the impact of FGC in the United States. 

On November 4, Sahiyo U.S. hosted a vibrant webinar titled: Youth Advocacy Against Female Genital Cutting (FGC): A Conversation on Change, where a global community of advocates, educators, medical professionals, and human rights advocates gathered to share experiences and strategies for change. The diversity of perspectives in attendance highlighted how broad the movement to end FGC is. We heard from students who are passionate about women’s health, professors seeking to educate themselves on FGC, and activists working directly in their communities to end this harmful practice. Attendees gathered from near and far, with some folks tuning in from the city of Chicago and others from Singapore! 

Panelists at the event shared how youth are uniquely positioned to challenge entrenched norms and misconceptions around FGC. One advocate emphasized the importance of research and access to resources in academic institutions. Another spoke on the power of intergenerational engagement, highlighting how each generation brings unique strengths to the movement. Addressing the diverse cultural landscape, a third panelist discussed the significance of incremental progress in regions where FGC is deeply rooted in community social norms, stressing that every step forward, no matter how small, contributes to broader change.

As one attendee described, the stories that were shared among the group were “beautiful, heartbreaking, and powerful,” while others thanked the panelists for their “bravery in turning betrayal into action.”

For those who couldn’t join, here is a link to the recording of the webinar. We encourage you to watch and reflect on this incredible event alongside us!

To our Sahiyo community,

We know that many of you, like us, are feeling disappointed, sad, and scared as a result of the 2024 presidential election. We want you to know that we see you and that your feelings are valid.

We also want to remind you that Sahiyo will continue to work every day to support survivors of female genital cutting (FGC) and promote gender equality, no matter what. We will work even harder with the strength of our community and an unwavering belief in our cause. Most of all, we want you to know that we are with you and that we will get through this together.

In that spirit, we’re providing links to resources that could be helpful at this time:

• Our partner the Asian Women’s Shelter has a helpful crisis line for FGC survivors (1-877-751-0880)
• Rape / Sexual Abuse / Incest National Hotline (RAIN): 800-656-4673
• Members of the LGBTQ community can call 1-866-488-7386 or visit www.thetrevorproject.org 
• The South Asian Network provides a variety of health and wellbeing resources along with useful information to help immigrants protect themselves
• BlackLine Crisis Call Line: 1-800-604-5841 
• The National Hispanic Family Health Helpline, Su Familia: 1-866-783-2645
• Dial 988 or visit www.988lifeline.org if you or somebody you know are in a crisis or experiencing thoughts of suicide 
• Psychology Today is a large directory connecting you with therapists, support groups, psychiatrists, and other mental health professionals in your area or virtually

Please make some time to take care of yourselves, to rest, and to be gentle with yourself as you process your very valid emotions. Know that this is not the end of our battle, but just a setback reminding us of the importance of the work we do. We’re determined to work even harder than even before to help survivors and create a more just world for all.  

With love and in solidarity from the entire Sahiyo team,

Mariya Taher

Sahiyo U.S. Executive Director