Sahiyo presents at the MACA Conference
On May 10th, Sahiyo presented at the 12th Annual Massachusetts Children’s Alliance Conference. In attendance were over 200 multidisciplinary child abuse professionals from across the state. Sahiyo cofounder, Mariya Taher, partnered with Mildrine Tulysse, a Massachusetts Pediatric Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, to provide information about the realities of female genital cutting (FGC) in the state […]
Sahiyo’s Editorial Team introduces Zoom interviews!
Sahiyo’s dedicated staff have been working to expand our reach and build a close-knit community of survivors, advocates, and volunteers for years now, and as the world responds to COVID-19, digital communication has been a consistent thread tying us all together. We want to use our many digital platforms to create a positive, impactful space […]
Sahiyo speaks at the ABA International Law Section Annual Conference
On April 28th, Sahiyo was invited to take part in a panel discussion at the 2022 ABA International Law Section’s Annual Conference being held in Washington D.C. The panel brought together a legal practitioner, journalist, and activist working towards gender equality and the elimination of FGC to discuss legal tools and other measures that have […]
Sahiyo hosts Asian Women’s Shelter training
On March 24th, 2022 Sahiyo hosted an inaugural training on female genital cutting (FGC) for Asian Women’s Shelter staff and their crisis line counselors who operate their hotline for have undergone or experienced domestic violence or sexual assault. This training created by Sahiyo provided a basic overview of FGC, including what it is, who it […]
Sahiyo U.S. Advisory Board spotlight: Zahra Qaiyumi
Zahra is a 4th year medical student at Quinnipiac University in Connecticut. She is interested in the role of health care providers in caring for those affected by the practice, and as such is involved with developing training for resident physicians on surgical care that improves quality of life and health outcomes in the most […]
Sahiyo’s first Youth Meeting
This March, Sahiyo conducted its first ever Sahiyo Youth Meeting. Young activists are an essential part of the movement to end FGC, as they offer a fresh perspective and are eager to challenge gender norms and harmful cultural practices. Acknowledging this, volunteer Hunter Kessous started an initiative to create a supportive network of Sahiyo youth. […]
Dear Maasi: Will my daughter ever forgive me?
Dear Maasi is a column about everything you wanted to know about sex and relationships but were afraid to ask! It’s a partnership between Sahiyo and WeSpeakOut, and is for all of us who have questions about khatna (FGM/C) and how it impacts our bodies, minds, sexualities and relationships. We welcome you to submit your […]
Sahiyo staff spotlight: Programs assistant Meg Sinnott
Meg recently finished her Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Social Policy at Trinity College Dublin, in Ireland. As a first-generation immigrant born in Switzerland, she has developed a love for learning about different cultures which has led her to become an advocate for the empowerment of minority groups. During her time at college, Meg was […]
A reflection on Equality Now’s webinar: The impact of laws and use of Multi-Sectoral Approach (MSA) to eliminate FGM/C
By Ellen Ince I joined Equality Now and women’s rights activists, survivors, and human rights practitioners for a discussion on the importance and roles of both law and multi-sectoral approach (MSA) in the elimination of Female Genital Mutiliation/Cutting (FGM/C). This event took place on February 16th, 2022 and was moderated by Asenath Mwithigah. Interpretation was […]
Gender-Affirming Treatments are not Female Genital Cutting
By Hunter Kessous Female genital cutting (FGC), which is the practice of removing or harming the female genitalia for non-medical reasons, is a human rights violation recognized by the UN. Right now, legislators in Texas and Idaho are looking to use pre-existing bans on FGC to block transgender youth from receiving life-saving, medically necessary gender-affirming […]