‘Far from enhancing my marital bliss, khatna had all but devastated it’
by: Anonymous Age: 30 Country: United States I first learned that khatna had been performed on me when I was 11 years old. My mother told me, and even then the hair on my neck rose and I had a clear instinct that what had happened wasn’t right. I asked my mother why Bohra girls […]
To those who say that Sahiyo is not their voice…
By: Anonymous Country: United Kingdom The past few days have been an emotional rollercoaster for me. I deeply believe in the values that Sahiyo espouses and wholeheartedly wish for the practice of FGC to end. To my dismay, I have witnessed a hate campaign against not only Sahiyo but the brave people who have been […]
U.S. Muslim Leaders Stance on FGM/C (also known as Female Circumcision)
(Originally document can be found here. Republished with permission on 6/7/2017)We, Muslim organizations, FGM/C Survivors, Islamic scholars, and leaders, strongly condemn the remarks made in the video of Imam Shaker El Sayed where he clearly distinguishes between Female Genital Mutilation or Cutting (FGM/C) and female circumcision, and recommends the performance of female circumcision on young girls “when needed” to […]
FGM before the Indian Supreme Court
By: Koen Van den Brande Age: 55Country: India It was to be expected… The Indian Supreme Court has been asked to look at the practice of ‘khatna’ – commonly known as FGM (Female Genital Mutilation) as a result of a Public Interest Litigation filed by Sunita Tiwari, a Delhi based advocate. There was a time, […]
The story of my start to the holy month of Ramzan
by Insia Dariwala, Sahiyo Ramzan — the time of peace, love, and prayers; a time for family gatherings, breaking fasts together and collectively praying for individual good, and the good of all in this world. Unfortunately, this Ramzan is showing me exactly the opposite, as I see the entire Bohra community (well almost), rising up […]
Despite backlash, Sahiyo will continue to work with the community
The World Health Organization (WHO)’s guidelines on the management of health complications from female genital mutilation/cutting states that the “involvement of health-care providers in performing FGM is likely to confer a sense of legitimacy on the practice and could give the impression that the procedure is good for women’s health, or at least that it […]
I underwent Female Genital Cutting in a hospital in Rajasthan
(Trigger Warning: Below is the account of one woman’s experience with FGC. We thank her for being brave and sharing her story with us) By: Jamila Mandsour Age: 25Country of Residence: KuwaitCountry where Khatna took place: Banswara in Rajasthan, India That day, I was taken to the hospital to see my newborn cousin. Although the […]
Each One Reach One 2: Read this conversation guide to get started
by Sahiyo and WeSpeakOut Each One Reach One 2, our month-long outreach campaign that coincides with Ramzan, calls upon everyone, especially Bohra women and men, to reach out to at least one other Bohra to engage in a meaningful discussion around Khatna. Our focus this year is to move the conversation forward, by exploring ways […]
Announcing Each One Reach One 2: Let’s discuss Khatna this Ramzan
EACH ONE REACH ONE 2:Taking the conversation forward….Ramzan 2017A campaign by Sahiyo and We Speak Out In this holy month of Ramzan, we invite you to participate in Each One Reach One 2, the second edition of a global campaign to promote conversations around Khatna among Bohras. Last year, in February 2016, Sahiyo […]
To cut or not to cut? Let our daughters grow up and decide
By: Insiya Age: 34Country: Mumbai, India As I belong to a well-known and educated family, I was always given a chance to think outside the box. My parents were always supportive irrespective of what our community norms were. I was educated and given the same rights as my brothers and my voice was never unheard […]