Why New York’s Laws on Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting Still Leave a Major Gap
By Harshita Dasot Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is a global issue; however, in the United States, it is often incorrectly recognized and associated with only occurring in immigrant communities. In fact, in the United States, over 500,000 women and girls are at risk, with New York having one of the highest populations at over 48,000. […]
Stepping into Advocacy: Reflecting on Maryland’s New FGM/C Law as a Policy Intern
By Harshita Dasot Maryland signed SB907/HB1389 into law on April 14, 2026, strengthening state protections against the human rights violation that is female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C). As someone who started as a Policy Intern with Sahiyo in April of this year, my first few days were an incredible introduction to how policy change actually happens. […]
The Data Problem: Why the United States Still Struggles to Measure the Risk of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting
By Harshita Dasot Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is often discussed as a global issue, occurring elsewhere, but in recent years, within the United States, policymakers, healthcare professionals, and advocacy organizations have increasingly recognized that it is also a domestic concern. Despite growing public awareness and stronger legislation, one major challenge shapes nearly every conversation around […]
Harmful Conflations: Why Updated Legislation is Critical to Ending Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) and Protecting Survivors in California
By Karishma Patel On January 28, 2025, President Trump’s executive order titled “Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutiliation” claimed that gender affirming care for transgender youth is the same thing as female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C). A Joint Statement by Sahiyo, The U.S. End FGM/C Network, Equality Now, and The World Professional Association for Transgender […]
Introducing Sahiyo’s Global Ambassador Program
We are pleased to announce the launch of Sahiyo’s Global Ambassador Program, an initiative designed to cultivate a robust community committed to gender justice in support of Sahiyo’s mission. Our Ambassadors are motivated, dedicated individuals who can champion the organization’s mission and elevate awareness about female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) both in their local communities and […]
Finding Ourselves in Each Other’s Stories: Reflections from the Blue Mountain Center Retreat
Between May 13th and 17th, Sahiyo, Equality Now, and The U.S. End FGM/C Network hosted a convening of FGM/C survivors, advocates, policy experts, and LGBTQIA+ allies at a retreat center in the Adirondack Mountains Participants gathered to hold conversations centered on building shared understanding and strategic messaging around bodily autonomy, female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), gender-affirming […]