Advancing Protections: Connecticut Legislators Briefed on the Urgent Need for Comprehensive Legislation Addressing Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting
By: Khushi Prakash On January 29th, 2026, the Connecticut Coalition to End Female Genital Mutilation and Cutting (FGM/C) partnered with the Commission on Women, Chidlren, Seniors, Equity and Opportunity (CWCSEO) to host an informational briefing for Connecticut legislators and their staff at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford. Survivors, advocates, and members of the CT […]
Connecticut Bill Addressing Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting, Senate Bill 1438, Fails to be Raised for a Vote
By: Juliet Shires At the beginning of the 2025 legislative session, passing a bill in Connecticut (CT) protecting children from female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) seemed promising. “An Act Prohibiting Female Genital Mutilation” (SB 1438) marked the first time a bill was raised in the past five years of advocacy by the Connecticut Coalition to End […]
The History of Addressing Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting via Legislation in Connecticut
By: Katie Bai 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 […]
Urge Senator Winfield to Protect Girls from FGM/C in Connecticut
It’s been four long years of advocating for a comprehensive bill that protects girls from female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) in Connecticut, and we’ve finally reached the point of having a raised bill that the Connecticut Coalition to End FGM/C supports. But we need your help. If you can, please call Senator Winfield and request that […]
Press Conference Announced In Honor of International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGMC)
Hartford, CT – In Honor of International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGMC), State Representative Jillian Gilchrest and State Representative Nicole Klarides-Ditria along with the Connecticut Coalition to End FGMC will hold a press conference to raise awareness about this critical issue, discuss ongoing advocacy efforts, and highlight House Bill 6596: An […]
The Connecticut Coalition to End FGM/C Interview Series: Caitlin LeMay
By: Juliet Shires Policy interns at Sahiyo have been interviewing members of the Connecticut (CT) Coalition to End FGM/C to learn more about them and their important work. Recently, Sahiyo’s policy intern, Juliet Shires, talked to the Executive Director of the U.S End FGM/C Network and CT Coalition member, Caitlin LeMay, about her personal experiences as […]
The Connecticut Coalition to End FGM/C Interview Series: Jo Keogh
By Juliet Shires Recently, policy interns at Sahiyo have been interviewing members of the Connecticut (CT) Coalition to End FGM/C to learn more about each individual and to better understand all the important work they contribute towards ending FGM/C. The information below comes from an interview between Sahiyo’s former policy intern, Azalieh Erawoc, and CT […]
Building Support for the Connecticut Coalition to End FGM/C After Failure in 2024 Legislative Session
By Juliet Shires In the 2024 legislative session, the Connecticut Judiciary Committee failed to raise a bill that would protect children from female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C). Rep. Jilian Gilchrest (D) would have sponsored the bill to create educational and outreach programs, issue civil remedies for survivors, and make FGM/C a clear criminal offense in the […]
Calling on the CT legislature to protect girls from FGM/C
A bill to protect children from female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) in Connecticut (CT) has not been raised by the Connecticut Judiciary Committee in the 2024 legislative session. This news comes as a shock to many survivors of FGM/C and anti-FGM/C activists who have been campaigning for the bill to be introduced. The bill would have […]
Zehra Patwa on Sahiyo and the Coalition to End FGM/C’s recent panel discussion with Connecticut legislators – and why it was a positive step forward
By Sheena Vasani Connecticut is one of nine states that have yet to enact a law protecting children from FGM/C, which is why Sahiyo along with other Connecticut Coalition to End FGM/C members recently held the “Preventing FGM/C in Connecticut – Why Comprehensive Laws Matter” event. On January 25th, panelists educated legislators about the urgent […]