When I Was a Kid, My Body Didn’t Feel Like Mine
By: Asha Oud When I was a kid, I didn’t feel like my body was mine. My childhood took that further: I was actively taught that my body was something to be ashamed of. I wore a pink hijab that went to my knees at religion school, (dugsi, as Somalis call it), when I was […]
Sahiyo and the U.S. Network to End FGM/C to host the webinar: “Navigating the System: FGM/C Survivor Experiences and the Political Dynamics of Advocacy”
By: Khushi Prakash Date: Monday, August 17th, 2026 Time: 12 PM ET/9 AM PT Registration: https://bit.ly/NavigatingtheSystem Description: This webinar is officially releasing and sharing key findings from Sahiyo’s new listening session report, Navigating the System: FGM/C Survivor Experiences and the Political Dynamics of Advocacy. The report summarizes insights from a listening session during which survivors […]
Sahiyo, SPC, and Nomi Network to Present Groundbreaking Research on the Intersections of FGM/C and Human Trafficking at the 2026 International Human Trafficking & Social Justice Conference
Sahiyo is pleased to announce that our team will present “Intersections of FGM/C and Human Trafficking: A Global Needs Assessment” at the 2026 International Human Trafficking & Social Justice Conference (IHTSJ) on Friday, September 25th, 2026, in collaboration with Shobana Powell Consulting and Nomi Network. The virtual conference takes place from September 23rd to the25th, […]
Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting in India’s Kerala state: First exploratory study highlights prevalence and impact
By: Aarefa Johari A new exploratory study on female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) in Kerala – the first of its kind conducted in the south Indian state – confirms the prevalence of the harmful practice in the region’s Sunni Muslim communities through the testimonies of nine women. Released by WeSpeakOut and Equality Now on July 9, […]
HOPE MA Presenting at the Ounce of Prevention Conference
On June 17, 2026, HOPE MA hosted one of several afternoon workshops at the annual Ounce of Prevention Conference, held by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Bureau of Community Health and Prevention, at the DCU Center in Worcester. This year’s theme, “Prevention Along the Stream: Collaboration and Connection to Build Healthy Communities,” brought together […]
Film Screening of “The Beginning”, by Insia Dariwala at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai India
In February of this year, the film “The Beginning”, which was directed by Sahiyo Co-Founder, activist, and filmmaker Insia Dariwala, was screened at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) in Mumbai, India. “The Beginning” is a poignant story about ending the cycle of female genital mutilation or cutting (FGM/C). FGM/C is the deliberate cutting […]
Launching Sahiyo’s Male Engagement Toolkit: A Practical Resource for Engaging Men and Male-Identifying Individuals in Advocacy and Prevention Efforts to End FGM/C
Here at Sahiyo, we believe that ending female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) requires the participation of all members of the community—including men and male-identifying individuals. That’s why we’ve created the How to Engage Men and Male-Identifying Community Members in Advocacy and Prevention Efforts to Address Female Genital Cutting/Mutilation toolkit, a practical resource designed to help advocates, […]
Intern Spotlight: Karishma Patel
Karishma is a recent graduate from UC Berkeley with a B.A. in Sociology and Public Policy. Later this fall, she plans to pursue a J.D. focused on the intersection of health advocacy, law, and policy. Karishma is passionate about improving access to health care and has previously worked in the health nonprofit sector related to […]
Reflections from a Retreat in The Adirondacks: Foundational Conversations
By Anonymous 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 […]
Reflections from a Retreat in The Adirondacks: Intersex and FGM/C activists in conversation
By: Sean Saifa Wall 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 […]