‘My mom regrets that she allowed khatna to be performed on me’
Age: 34 Country: USA I was six years old when my mom explained to me that I had to undergo the procedure of khatna – that a small surgery would happen on my private parts. I simply understood that it was one of the many rituals that I, as a Muslim girl, would experience. So […]
Let’s Talk About “Sunat Perempuan”
(Originally Posted by BEYONDHIJABSG on 2 FEBRUARY, 2016. Republished here with permission). Country: Singapore Community: Malay By: Afiqa Ab Rahman Recently I attended a workshop where participants from Singapore, Malaysia, India, and Thailand shared their experiences and discussed Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Variations of the term include Female Genital Cutting (FGC) […]
Conversations on khatna and social norms with Mumbai community workers
On October 6, Sahiyo co-founders Insia Dariwala and Aarefa Johari were given an opportunity to introduce the topic of Female Genital Cutting to a host of grassroots social workers in Mumbai. This opportunity came through an invitation from the Justice and Peace Commission, one of many organisations run by the Catholic Church in Mumbai to […]
A Kenyan Woman’s Take on FGM/FGC in the Bohra Community
By: Zarina Patel Country of Residence: Kenya Age: 81 years I only very recently heard a fleeting mention of FGM being practiced in the Bohra Community in my country, Kenya. It was in a group conversation where I was adamantly protesting against the FGM still being inflicted on Kenyan women in spite […]
What can Bohras learn from a new report on the global status of female genital cutting?
by Aarefa JohariThis August, the Population Council and UK Aid published a unique, comprehensive report on Female Genital Cutting around the world, to serve as a valuable resource for anyone working to bring the practice to an end. Titled ‘A State-of-the-Art Synthesis on Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting – What do we know now’, the report provides […]
Sahiyo Volunteer Spotlight: Mariya Ali
Sahiyo is an organization with the mission to empower Asian communities to end female genital cutting through community collaboration, and this work could not be done without dedicated volunteers supporting us. To show our appreciation, Sahiyo would like to begin spotlighting those volunteers who have made invaluable contributions to our organization. Mariya Ali is a U.K. […]
‘All FGM causes trauma and pain’: A great video speaking of FGM/C as a collective struggle.
This video encapsulates the trauma and pain of undergoing the practice, giving voice to Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting as a collective, shared memory and struggle for the women affected by it.It features women who have undergone the cut in different places of the world and at different ages, but who all have had the same underlining […]
When Sahyog gave Sahiyo an opportunity to engage with young students
by Aarefa JohariOn September 3, Sahiyo’s Mumbai team was invited to give a talk to college students enrolled in the Pehchaan programme run by Sahyog, a reputed non-profit organisation providing support to women and children from marginalised communities. Sahyog’s ‘Pehchaan’ initiative offers skills-training and mentorship programmes to students from low-income families at the PN Doshi […]
Talking about Gender Justice at the Islamic Society of North America Annual Conference
On Sunday September 4th, Sahiyo’s cofounder, Mariya Taher, participated on a panel entitled, “Gender Justice: A Discussion with Policymakers, Religious Actors, and Activists” at the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA). The Secretary’s Office of Religion and Global Affairs at the U.S. Department of State partnered with Muslim community leaders and organizations to promote gender […]
‘I am not traumatized or damaged, but I still want Khatna to stop’
By AnonymousAge: 30Country: United StatesFor the record, I have never been mutilated. I am not traumatized, damaged, or broken. Yes, something unfortunate happened to me that I wish had not; but I do not want to be labeled a survivor. Personally, I feel the word is inappropriate to my situation because my life was never […]