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 […]
‘I want Bohras to wake up and stop practicing Khatna’
By: Anonymous Age: 32 Country of current residence: Bahrai I’m a victim of FGM and this is my story. It’s the same as every other FGM survivor. India. A dingy house. An old woman. A blade. Pain. Blood. Being given chocolate. And then being yelled at to stop crying. And the thing that hardly anyone […]
A Mother’s Brave Choice about Female Genital Cutting
By: Anonymous Age: 30 Country: United States (Read the Gujarati translation of this article here and the Hindi translation here.) Khatna is a term and a practice I learned about when I was about 15 years old. I was chatting with a friend over AOL instant messenger and she asked me if I had ever […]
ફીમેલ જેનિટલ કટિંગ વિષે એક માંનો સાહસિક નિર્ણય
આ આર્ટિકલ પહેલા સહિયો દ્વારા તારીખ 23 મે 2017ના રોજ અંગ્રેજીમાં પ્રકાશિતકરવામાં આવ્યો હતો. Read the English version here and the Hindi translation here.) લેખક: અનામી ઉંમર : 30દેશ : અમેરિકા જ્યારે હું લગભગ 15 વર્ષની હતી ત્યારે મેં ખતના શબ્દ અને તેની પ્રથા વિષે સાંભળ્યું હતુ. હું મારી સહિ સાથે AOL ઈન્સ્ટન્ટ મેસેન્જર પર […]
महिला जननांग विकृति के प्रति एक माँ का बहादुर फैसला
(यह लेख पहली बार 23 मई 2017 को अंग्रेजी में साहियो द्वारा प्रकाशित हुआ था. Read the English version here and the Gujarati translation here.) लेखक: अज्ञात उम्र: 30 देश: यूनाइटेड स्टेट्स खतना शब्द और इस प्रथा से मेरा पहली बार आमना-सामना तब हुआ जब मैं 15 साल की थी। मैं एओएल इंस्टैंट मैसेंजर पर […]
Why do Dawoodi Bohras practice Khatna, or Female Genital Cutting?
by Aarefa Johari What is the real purpose behind Khatna for girls? The Dawoodi Bohra community has been practicing this hidden ritual of female circumcision, also known as Female Genital Cutting (FGC), for centuries, with no public discussion on its need. It is only in the past year that the Bohra leadership has finally spoken […]
We need a Bohra Revolution
By: M Bohra Age: 23 Country: United Kingdom The ongoing investigation into Dawoodi Bohra doctors engaging in khatna, or female genital cutting (FGC), and the community leadership’s ambivalence regarding this practice, have once again brought up unanswered questions. What message is the leadership in India sending to the Bohra community when it disowns the doctors’ […]