Kira joins Sahiyo with a background in humanitarian advocacy, communications, community outreach, and storytelling. She completed her B.F.A. with a concentration in Stage and Screen Performance and a Communications minor from George Mason University. She also works as an activist fighting for adoptee rights. Kira is dedicated to Sahiyo’s mission of ending female genital cutting, and she is passionate about leveraging her experience to further this important message.

When and how did you first get involved with Sahiyo?

I first started working with Sahiyo in early October 2024! When I read about Sahiyo’s mission, it really resonated with me, as I already do a lot of advocacy work and community outreach. I was excited to apply for this position because it meant that I could use my previous experience to contribute to the important mission of ending female genital cutting (FGC) worldwide.

What does your work with Sahiyo involve?

As the Communications Assistant, I work with Communications Coordinator, Kristel Mendoza to create social media content and strategize campaign releases. We also provide support in organizing Sahiyo’s fundraising and events. I have enjoyed meeting Sahiyo’s team members and volunteers, who have all been  warm and welcoming!

How has your involvement with Sahiyo impacted your life?

I have learned so much about the practice of FGC in the short time I’ve been with Sahiyo. Before I applied to this organization, I had no idea that FGC occurred in the US at all. I feel better equipped to help bring more awareness to FGC, and I’m more passionate about Sahiyo’s mission of ending FGC, and working toward creating a culture that values consent as well as the rights of  children and women. I look forward to continuing to learn from survivors and activists as I continue to work with Sahiyo.

What words of wisdom would you like to share with others who may be interested in supporting Sahiyo and the movement against FGC?

Do not hesitate! Sahiyo fosters an approachable and safe community. There are so many opportunities, big and small, to get involved. I firmly believe that education is a vital first step toward actionable and sustainable change, so taking the time to learn more independently is also creating change. Any amount of support contributes to the mission of ending FGC and creating a safer world for women and children. 

By: Sara Khattak

Female genital cutting (FGC) is a practice involving the partial or total removal of external female genitalia or other injury to female genital organs for non-medical reasons. While FGC is a form of gender-based violence that is often mistakenly understood to only occur in certain cultural traditions in Africa and the Middle East, the occurrence of FGC has a history in the U.S. that is less widely known. Understanding the history of FGC in the U.S. is crucial for recognizing the global nature and impact of FGC, and for understanding how to address and end the harmful practice.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, FGC was practiced in the U.S. and U.K. primarily by medical professionals. Despite the lack of scientific evidence supporting its effectiveness, FGC was often carried out as a medical treatment for various perceived medical and psychological conditions, including hysteria, “lesbianism,” and excessive masturbation. Another practice that should be considered a form of FGC is the “husband stitch.” The "husband stitch" refers to the practice of adding an extra stitch during the repair of a perineal tear or episiotomy after childbirth, ostensibly to tighten the vaginal opening for increased male sexual pleasure. Just this year, a lawsuit was filed in California against an OB-GYN who for decades allegedly performed FGC on patients.  These practices were influenced by prevailing attitudes toward women's sexuality and health of the time period, which included misconceptions about the female anatomy, a tendency to pathologize women's sexual desires, and a patriarchal medical system that often prioritized male sexual pleasure and control over women's bodily autonomy and well-being. Clitoridectomies fell out of popularity in the United States in the mid 1900’s, and by 1977 were no longer covered by insurance. 

At the federal level, however, FGC wasn’t prohibited until 1996. With the passage of a federal law it became illegal to perform FGC on a girl under the age of 18, or for the parent, caretaker, or guardian of a girl under the age of 18 to facilitate or consent to FGC being performed on her. Transporting a girl for the purpose of FGC became a punishable offense in the U.S. in 2013.

Even after FGC stopped being a legally recognized medical practice, and Congress passed a federal law making it illegal to perform, there were still reports of FGC being performed by health professionals in secrecy. In fact, in 2018, a medical doctor in Michigan was charged with performing FGC on minor girls who had traveled to Michigan from other states to undergo the practice. It was then reported that Dr. Jumana Nagarwala was a part of a secret network of medical providers who performed FGC on hundreds of girls in the U.S. 

The case triggered significant legal and ethical discussions in the media, amongst anti-FGC advocates, and legislators, not only about FGC, but also about children’s rights and medical ethics. It was also reported that FGC was occurring in some white fundamentalist Christian communities. The persistence of FGC in these communities underscored the need for a broader societal reckoning with how cultural and religious beliefs intersect with human rights, even within demographics not typically associated with this issue.

However, disappointment arose when the 2018 case was eventually dismissed on a technicality, relating to how the original law banning the practice was passed by Congress. This set back highlights the challenges in addressing FGC within the current legal frameworks. As a response, Congress passed the Strengthening the Opposition to Female Genital Mutilation Act of 2020, also known as the Stop FGM Act 2020, to ensure that FGC remained illegal to perform on a girl in the United States. 

Laws on FGC also vary at the state level. In Connecticut, for example, there are currently no state-level anti-FGC laws. The CT Coalition to End FGM/C, a survivor-led organization, has been working since 2020, advocating for the passage of laws that protect children from FGC and support survivors. 

Today, various efforts are being made to end FGC in the U.S. through education, advocacy, and community outreach programs. Educational initiatives aimed at informing healthcare providers, educators, and the general public about the harms of FGC and the legal implications of participating in or condoning the practice are being carried out by community-based organizations across the country. In the last 3 years, the Department of Justice,  Office of Victims of Crime, funded several programs aimed at preventing and responding to FGC, including grants for community-based organizations and law enforcement training initiatives on the practice.

Despite these efforts, significant challenges remain. One of the primary obstacles is the enforcement of the laws against FGC, as it can be difficult to detect or prove cases of the practice occurring. Additionally, there is resistance to ending the practice in some communities where FGC is seen as a social norm that must be done in the name of tradition, as a rite of passage, or due to it being an identity marker. Changing these deeply entrenched social norms requires sustained and sensitive engagement with community leaders and members from impacted communities.

Survivors of FGC play a crucial role in the movement to end the practice. By sharing their stories, survivors help to humanize the issue and bring attention to the physical and psychological trauma caused by FGC. Their voices are powerful tools for advocacy and education, helping to shift public perception of the practice and inspire action against it.

A large part of Sahiyo’s mission is working with survivors to share their stories and experiences, to inform communities, governments, and the public about the harms of FGC. These stories are critical in helping to enforce and create laws that address FGC because those who have gone through the practice have the most knowledge and understanding of why and how it should be prevented.  

If you want to learn more about Sahiyo’s work with survivors, listen to survivor stories here.

This past March, Sahiyo had the honor of supporting Nevin Sutherland in attending the Association for Asian Studies 2024 Annual Conference. This annual conference focuses on facilitating conversations about and around Asian cultures. Nevin, a current PhD student at Delhi University, sought to highlight the issue of female genital cutting (FGC) in the hopes of sparking a larger discussion about how the practice is ongoing in many parts of Asia.

“As the daughter of a single mother and a PhD student, there's no way I would have been able to attend the conference and put together the panel without Sahiyo’s help,” Nevin said. “They gave me connections to the other panelists, and they also gave me a travel scholarship. This support allowed me to attend my first international conference and gave me more confidence in the work that I am doing.” 

With Sahiyo’s support, Nevin assembled a panel of fellow Sahiyo volunteers and contacts to facilitate the discussion: Huda Syyed, Umme Kulsoom Arif, Esther Kenesoi, along with Nevin herself. Their goal was to educate the audience about the complexities and nuances of FGM/C in Asia, discuss how FGM/C in Africa often receives more worldwide attention, and explore the underlying gender and sexual politics that keep the practice alive in so many communities.

“Our panel was under the category of South Asian studies. We were placing FGM in the context of South Asia and comparing it with the practice in Africa. We wanted to look at how even now most of the FGM/C discourse is largely focused within Africa. We compared what the different dynamics are in African and Asian communities and how the practice affects Asian communities differently.”

The panel succeeded in sparking a conversation and engaging with the attendees, who asked a number of questions about FGM/C.

“After the initial panel discussion, the participants began a conversation about other forms of gender-based violence and how sexual politics precipitates GBV,” Nevin said. “We found that we all had something in common; We all had faced different forms of violence against women, especially in the context of human sexuality, in one way or another. We were able to find a degree of understanding in each other, even those who were not survivors were able to see on some level how FGM/C was a harmful violation of a woman’s body.”

That realization, in and of itself, was healing for many. 

“The most fulfilling part of the whole discussion for me was at the end. One of the participants asked if we could have a group hug,” Nevin said. “It had been a pretty intense and emotional conversation, so everyone was feeling a lot. Everyone came together and we had this beautiful big hug, and there were a lot of tears. It was such a healing moment. It reminded me that the work to end the practice is really important, but the healing from it is equally as important.”

Sahiyo is thrilled to have helped Nevin bring this vital information to the Association for Asian Studies 2024 Annual Conference and we hope to continue supporting activists, academics, and all those who are fighting to end FGM/C.

By: Sara Khattak

We hear a lot of sayings about creating change. “You can make a difference” is a common phrase used to inspire people to become more engaged in the world around them. But that phrase isn’t always helpful. How do people actually make a difference?

Most Americans rely on their elected officials to fulfill their promises to create change structurally in order to better our country. However, most Americans aren’t consistent voters. This makes it difficult to voice opinions through elected officials who may not be the best suited to represent their constituents. Therefore, it is important to not only become a voter but to be fully politically engaged. 

A few months ago, I attended a webinar hosted by API-GBV on advocacy and issues education, and I’ll be sharing what I learned from the session. One thing I learned for sure from the webinar is that, if you want to create visible changes on issues you care about, such as addressing female genital cutting (FGC) then you need to take action yourself. 

Here are some practical ways you can get involved politically in the movement to end FGC:

1. Contact your Elected Officials

First, figure out who your local and state elected officials are, and what they stand for in terms of health, women’s rights, children’s rights, safety from violence, and other related topics. This website is a great place to start. Also, check this map to see if your state has laws against FGC. 

Next, consider all the possible opportunities that you may have to speak with your representative, this may include: town halls, civic activities, program tours, meet and greets, and congressional visits. Decide which one is best for your education and advocacy purposes.

2. Schedule a Meeting

You can also schedule an in-person meeting with your representative. The process for setting up a meeting is slightly different depending on whether you are contacting a federal, state, or local level official:

• For your federal officials, you can check their schedule on senate.gov or the house.gov websites. 
• After that, call and set up a meeting with your representative. The Capitol building's phone number is 202-224-3121. 
• Tell whoever is scheduling the meeting the following: “I am a constituent and would like to set up a meeting with my representative.” 

• For contacting state or local officials, start with your state or town’s legislature’s website. They should also have a calendar and a point of contact for specific representatives. 

A few of the good days for setting up meetings are on Mondays and Fridays during the legislative recess, but be sure to also check the legislative calendar for additional availability such as non-voting days, days when committees aren’t meeting, or office hours.

3. Know Your Talking Points:

When preparing for your one-on-one meeting, keep in mind a few key points:

• First, focus on the key message that best supports your position. End FGM Network, the Connecticut Coalition to End FGM/C, and the Washington Coalition to End FGM/C all have a plethora of resources you can reference when it comes to discussing FGC. Make a specific request, such as supporting or introducing legislation against FGC. 
• An effective method to convey your message is by giving testimony. Testimonies, such as this one from the Washington Senate Hearing at the 54 minute mark, will help to humanize the issues that you are advocating for. A recording of a testimony is a video of someone giving a formal statement or providing evidence during an official government hearing. If there's a specific bill being considered, you can submit written testimony to the relevant committee.
• You could also highlight any organizations that offer program activities relevant to your cause. Bringing written materials can also be very helpful in reinforcing your message; make sure to bring extra handouts to leave behind with the representative.
• Most importantly, do your homework on government officials beforehand. Share personal stories to make your issue more relatable and make a specific request of your representative. This might be the first time your representative has ever heard of FGC. Note any programs in your state that help with advocacy or supporting survivors, and what further support is needed. 
• If you are uncomfortable sharing personal stories connected to FGC and those who you know are connected to it, the Voices to End FGM/C website is a great resource for showcasing how FGC impacts individuals globally. The power of storytelling in helping survivors heal and educate people on FGC is a vital tool in legislative advocacy. These stories help explain to legislators that FGC is impacting their constituents in their districts.
• Finally, leave time for questions and be sure to say thank you at the end of the meeting. Avoid guessing about information if you’re unsure. If you don’t know something, let them know you can follow-up with additional information addressing the question. Overall, stay on point as these meetings tend to be short. 

4. Ensuring continuous engagement and support

Once you’ve had a successful meeting, remember to send a thank you note and follow up. By presenting yourself as a resource or point of knowledge on FGC, it will be easier for lawmakers and their staff to work with you. 

• Throughout this entire process, you should monitor developments related to the issue and continue to communicate and advocate through other channels such as social media, public events, and other types of community gatherings. 
• By spreading your message, you can garner more support from your community and engage stakeholders. 

Creating change may seem daunting at first, however, my main takeaway from the webinar is that advocacy becomes much more manageable once you develop a game plan and take that first step. Remember, don't underestimate the power of one voice. While addressing the issue of FGC in the United States is complex, your individual efforts can make a significant impact. Whether it is contacting your representatives, raising awareness in your community, or supporting organizations working to end FGC, every action counts. 

The journey of advocacy may be challenging, but it's also rewarding. So, create your plan, gather your courage, and use your voice in any way to advocate for ending FGC in the United States. Your involvement could be the catalyst for truly meaningful change.

Related links:

• Support Sahiyo's Work by Joining Sahiyo's Giving Circle
• Sahiyo U.S. Releases New Impact Report: Policy Outreach, Education, and Advocacy Program

Recently, policy interns at Sahiyo have been interviewing members of the Washington Coalition to End FGM/C to learn more about coalition members' important work toward policy creation on female genital cutting (FGC). Sahiyo’s policy intern, Sara Khattak, talked to coalition member Dr. Muna Osman, DNP FNP-BC, a prominent advocate in the work to end FGC in Washington state and a respected nurse. Muna has been a leading voice in the Washington movement for over 10 years.

Growing up, Dr. Muna Osman was exposed to female genital cutting (FGC) and always opposed the practice, even though she didn't fully understand it at the time. It wasn't until she was in graduate school that she decided to make FGC the focus of her studies.

"I came from a country that practices. I was in the Middle East, and it happened to me."

As she delved deeper into the issue, Dr. Osman found that doctors in the US often didn't know how to address FGC or support survivors. This motivated her to develop a curriculum to educate clinicians beyond obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) professionals about the negative short- and long-term impacts of the practice. 

Gaining the trust of her own community was one of Dr. Osman's biggest challenges. 

"At the beginning, there was no community, because the people I'm teaching – even my professors in the graduate school – were like, who cares? It's a foreign [practice]," she recalled. 

Over time, Muna found that slowly integrating conversations about FGC into her work with the community-founded safe motherhood program, Mama Aman, helped build that trust.

"I started with pregnancy. But after I graduated, we worked with Mother Africa at the community level. People know that I'm volunteering. I don't work for nobody. I don't intend to make money off them, so they start listening to me."

Dr. Osman believes that truly making progress requires bridging the generational divide within immigrant communities. 

"We need to bridge the gap instead of making it bigger and give the respect they deserve, [even if] you're a kid. You have the knowledge that we didn't have. Like the parents. Most of the parents came to start a new life. We came to start a new life for our kids. We didn't come here to become evil again."

Her approach involves empowering youth to assert their bodily autonomy, while also working to educate and engage adults in a respectful way. 

"We need to empower the kids and tell them, 'say no.' I don't care who you talk to, your teacher, but the teacher needs to know. It's a cultural practice." 

Dr. Osman's vision for the future includes establishing a comprehensive resource center to support survivors and communities affected by FGC. This center would involve crisis hotlines, therapists trained in cultural humility, and outreach workers embedded within different ethnic communities. 

"I had a vision that we will have a resource with all this money. To provide the education we need. We go to the communities and we always ask them ‘how much do you know about FGC?"

By building a holistic, community-driven approach, Dr. Osman believes we can make real progress in ending FGC in the United States. As she put it, "we cannot say that a one-person approach fits all: We want to be culturally appropriate."

(Dr. Osman shaking hands with Governor Jay Inslee of Washington state after the signing of the Bill on FGC.)

Those interested in getting involved can reach out to Dr. Osman directly or connect with the Washington Coalition and other organizations working on this critical issue.

We extend our gratitude to Dr. Muna Osman for her invaluable contributions and insights. To learn more about our ongoing work and other interviews, visit Sahiyo’s website.

Recently, policy interns at Sahiyo have been interviewing members of the Connecticut (CT) Coalition to End FGM/C to learn more about its members and all the important work they contribute toward ending female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C). For the first two blogs, we  interviewed Caitlin LeMay and Joanne Golden. In our third blog, Sahiyo’s policy intern, Juliet Shires, spoke to Zehra Patwa, Sahiyo U.S.’s Advisory Board Chair and co-founder of WeSpeakOut. 

When she was in her 40s, Patwa discovered that FGM/C was taking place in the Dawoodi Bohra community she belongs to.

“I was shown an interview that my cousin had done for a TV documentary in Australia, talking about her experience of FGM/C in the Bohra community [...] I thought ‘Oh, that’s terrible that she had to go through this.' And at the end of the interview, she said that all the girls in her community had been cut and I could not even fathom that. The women [in my community] have always been highly intelligent, and progressive role models…so to hear that women in the community were doing this practice on young girls just blew me away. It took me a while to even accept that it was happening.” 

Then came another shock: Patwa learned that she had undergone FGM/C when she was just seven years old, but had no recollection of the event. She decided that she needed to do something to end the practice of FGM/C in her community and beyond. Her cousin invited her to join a WhatsApp group chat where she met the Sahiyo co-founders and Masooma Ranalvi, who would later co-found WeSpeakOut with Patwa. 

“I had to do something with this anger, with this shock, with all of these things I was feeling, and this lack of clarity that I had of what happened to me…I could not bear the thought that this was still happening to other girls. Part of the awfulness of this practice, for me, is that you don’t even give girls and women a chance, by cutting them…you risk so much pain, so much trauma.”

A large part of her advocacy relates to her work with her own organization, WeSpeakOut, a partner of the CT Coalition and Sahiyo. WeSpeakOut is primarily focused on making FGM/C illegal in India, though it also works on other issues that impact women in the Bohra community. Their work involves research studies, petitions, and creating a legal framework for legislation banning the practice:

“Because India is the seat of the Bohra community — that’s where the religious head is based — we figured if [FGM/C] was made illegal in India, then the Bohra diaspora all over the world would agree that the practice is illegal and would discontinue it. Sadly, passing a law in India involves many hurdles but we are seeing glimmers of social change in the community just by talking about this issue.”

Patwa explains that speaking out has led to many conversations, many of which have highlighted how important education is in making meaningful changes against FGC: 

“When I started my activism in 2015, and started speaking out publicly in 2016 —  which was terribly nerve-racking —  so many people said to me, ‘Oh, I had no idea this happened here.’ I think people don’t realize how widespread this practice is. People want to know how many women and girls are cut…well, there’s no way of really knowing for sure, but it’s been estimated that there are more than 2,500 girls at risk in Connecticut alone, but the number is potentially much higher because it is such a clandestine practice. The states surrounding Connecticut have anti-FGM/C laws but Connecticut doesn’t, which makes our state a destination for cutting. [People I talk to often express surprise that] it’s a cultural practice, not a religious one.”

She also emphasized the importance of empathy and understanding when creating legislation and advocating against the practice:

“The parents who take their girls to be cut are not monsters…they’re being pressured into doing it because they’re told it’s the right thing to do by the trusted elders in their community. With education and the support of the law, parents can make an informed decision, backed by facts and others’ experiences, to protect their daughters.”

Patwa expressed disappointment that a law has still not been passed in Connecticut, but remains hopeful:

“It’s been disappointing that our bill has not made it into session three years in a row…it was a little disheartening at first but we are determined to continue working to pass this law because, even though we may not have huge numbers of girls at risk, we have some. And as far as I’m concerned, one girl cut is one too many. I know how much Connecticut cares about people and tries to do the right thing. I know in my heart that this law will be passed because it’s absolutely the right thing to do.”

For people who would like to get involved in FGM/C activism, Patwa’s advice is simple:

“Educate yourself, talk to people, reach out to people. Anybody at the Connecticut Coalition and at Sahiyo is very willing to help… And any organization that wants to become part of the coalition is welcome to lend their support: the more broad the coalition, the more helpful it will be to pass this law.”

Patwa’s own experience with the Connecticut Coalition and the support it has received has strengthened her belief that FGM/C can end.

“I truly appreciate all the allies who work to help survivors and prevent this practice. The Connecticut Coalition is now huge — there are many organizations involved. It’s heartening to have so many allies, who may not be from FGC-practicing communities, but who understand that there are so many different ways that they can help. It makes me tear up thinking about how much people care about others with different experiences from themselves. It gives me hope that we will see the end of this practice in my lifetime.”

We would like to thank Zehra Patwa for taking the time to sit down with our policy intern and for her continued work with the CT Coalition.

Want to get involved? 

• Visit: https://endfgmcinct.com/, for more information or contact the CT Coalition
• Visit: https://www.wespeakout.org/ 
• Volunteer with Sahiyo
• Sign the petition to end FGM/C in CT