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 […]
How I took part in the Each One, Reach Bhaiyo Campaign: My experience with different Bhaiyos
By Anonymous In honor of International Women’s Day on March 8th, Sahiyo launched our campaign “Each One, Reach Bhaiyo.” During this campaign, Sahiyo encouraged community members to reach out to and educate at least one male-identifying person in their life about female genital cutting (FGC). Through this campaign we involved men in the important work […]
CSW Virtual Parallel Event – “Engaging Men to End Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting
By Ellen Ince The Global Platform for Action to End FGM/C’s virtual parallel event at the Commission on the Status of Women showcased the importance of engaging boys and men in ending female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C). This event united esteemed speakers and participants from various organisations around the globe who share a common goal to […]
How I took part in the Each One, Reach Bhaiyo Campaign: Turning my older brothers into Bhaiyos
By Nesha Abiraj In honor of International Women’s Day on March 8th, Sahiyo launched our campaign “Each One, Reach Bhaiyo.” During this campaign, Sahiyo encouraged community members to reach out to and educate at least one male-identifying person in their life about female genital cutting (FGC). Through this campaign we involved men in the important […]
Sahiyo staff spotlight: Development assistant Michelle Taylor
Michelle comes to Sahiyo with over a decade of nonprofit development and fundraising experience focusing on various areas including youth development, health, education, and women’s empowerment. Michelle earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from California State University, Long Beach, majoring in finance and international business. She developed a strong sense of commitment to […]