FGM/C in the Americas: 5 things to know about the Inter-American Human Rights hearing
Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is a grave human rights violation that involves the partial or total removal or other injury to the external female genitalia for non-medical reasons. It affects over 230 million women and girls worldwide and occurs on every continent except Antarctica. For far too long, global efforts to address FGM/C have focused […]
The Americas Alliance to Participate in IACHR Public Hearings on FGC in the Americas
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has announced the public hearings schedule for its 194th Period of Sessions, to be held from November 17 to 21, 2025, at the University of Miami. Over the course of the week, the IACHR will hold 19 public hearings addressing the human rights situation in 14 countries and […]
10 Years of Sahiyo: Spotlighting Voices to End FGM/C Alumni Renee Bergstrom
Finding My Voice, Cohort 1, 2018 In December 2025, Sahiyo will celebrate its 10th anniversary, and we’re hosting a campaign to mark the occasion! Starting in July and running through December, we will be highlighting each of our programs, reflecting on our accomplishments, and planning for the future. This month, we are highlighting Sahiyo’s Voices […]
“No tolerance for violence”: Domestic Violence Awareness Month and Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting in Hawaii
By Anonymous On October 1, 2025, the first day of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, a community-organized rally in Honolulu took place, which intended to increase public consciousness surrounding the issue. Advocates emphasized that domestic violence is a critical crisis that has been on the rise since the Covid-19 pandemic, and that it “can happen to […]
Relearning Masculinity by Turning Culture into Care, not Control
By Noor Ul Sabah, Sahiyo Volunteer In every culture, stories about what it means to ‘be a man’ are told long before boys even learn how to talk. Young boys are told through gestures, silences, and rituals. They are shown in the ways fathers, brothers, and elders model strength. But when those stories teach that […]
15 States and DC Join Lawsuit Against Trump’s Executive Order Conflating Gender-Affirming Care and FGM/C
By Hiromi Nishida On August 1, 2025, the states of California, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawai‘i, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Wisconsin joined in a lawsuit against President Trump’s Executive Order (EO) 14187, “Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation”. This EO […]
Funding Announcement: Asian Community Fund at the Boston Foundation
We’re thrilled to announce that Sahiyo has been selected as a 2025 grantee partner of the Asian Community Fund! This generous support will help us expand Sahiyo’s survivor-led storytelling and community-building programs to address systemic gaps with an innovative approach that centers lived experiences to drive healing, awareness, and cultural change. “The Asian Community Fund […]
Aiming for Alaska: The Struggle to Pass Legislation to Protect Children from Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting in Alaska
Alaska is one of nine states remaining in the United States (U.S.) that have yet to pass laws for the prevention and protection of survivors and/or at-risk individuals from female genital cutting (FGC). However, past attempts to pass legislation in the state have been made. Though we are unsure of what circumstances led to these […]
Mississippi is Missing Key Legislation: The Struggle to Pass Legislation Addressing Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting in the State
Mississippi is one of nine states left in the United States that have not yet passed any laws to prevent and protect survivors and at-risk individuals from female genital cutting (FGC). Within the state, 442 girls and women are estimated to have undergone or are at risk of undergoing FGC. Two attempts have been made […]
The History of Addressing Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting in Nebraska
Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is a harmful social norm involving the partial or total removal of female-assigned external genitalia or other injury to the female-assigned genital organs for non-medical reasons. Globally, over 230 million girls and women have undergone FGM/C. FGM/C has a long history in the United States, and currently, over half a million […]