My father did not allow khatna to happen to me
By: Aiman Age: 26 Country: United States I am a 26-year-old Indian female born and raised in the United States. I come from a Dawoodi Bohra family. I only recently found out about khatna, or female genital cutting, when my cousin exposed me to the issue. It came as a shock to […]
I will not let my younger daughter be cut, says a Bohra father
By: Hozefa Anik Age: 40 Country: India The first time I heard about khatna was some 15-16 years ago, when I was working in Doha, Qatar. I was told that it is a practice prevalent in parts of Egypt, mainly in the villages located in the Nile river basin. The soil of the basin was supposed […]
“You have no right over your body.” Things khatna supporters have told me
By: Saleha Paatwala Age: 23 Country: India After watching ‘Reflecting Her’ (a film on FGC) that gave me strength to fight, it has now been six months since I set out on this mission to end the hazardous practice of Khatna. In these months, I have had discussions with numerous individuals including my relatives, some […]
A brief report on Sahiyo’s media workshop on khatna among Bohras
On August 8, 2016, Sahiyo conducted its first media training workshop at The Press Club in Mumbai. The workshop was held in partnership with the International Association of Women in Radio and Television (IAWRT), and its objective was to train journalists on how to sensitively and effectively report on the practice of Female Genital Cutting […]
The Un-Cut
(Originally published on Café Dissensus website on May 5, 2016. Republished here with permission from author). (Trigger Warning: Below is the account of one woman’s experience of her sister undergoing FGC. We thank her for being brave and sharing her story with us). Country: India By Insia Dariwala I still recall that wet rainy day in […]
Receiving the ‘Daughter of Maharashtra’ award: Sahiyo co-founder shares her experience
by Insia Dariwala On July 23, 2016, Sahiyo was felicitated with the very prestigious ‘Daughter of Maharashtra’ award for our continuous efforts in addressing FGM/C in India. Sahiyo co-founder Insia Dariwala, who received the award on behalf of Sahiyo at the ceremony in Pune, shares her experience here: The award, a brainchild of Nari […]
#NoMoreKhatna: Highlights from Sahiyo’s animated Twitter chat on FGC
On July 7, 2016, we at Sahiyo hosted our first Twitter chat on Female Genital Cutting (FGC) from our Twitter handle, @sahiyo2016. The need for an online debate on this subject evolved for various reasons. For the past several months, Dawoodi Bohras on social media have been increasingly vocal about their varied views on female khatna. Then in […]
No, even ‘symbolic’ or ‘mild’ female genital cutting is NOT okay
Should mild forms of Female Genital Cutting (FGC) be legalised? Should supposedly “harmless” nicking or slicing of clitoral tissue be medicalised, simply because getting communities to completely stop FGC happens to be a very difficult task? There has always been some support for mild, medicalised FGC, chiefly from communities that claim to practice female “circumcision” […]
One Woman’s Reactions to Bakersfield’s Resolution against Khatna (FGC)
By: Anonymous Country: United States Age: In her 30s When the public resolution on khatna (female circumcision) from the Bakersfield Jamaat (community) was released shortly after the Sydney case, an old weight was lifted from me. There. They’ve finally said it. Do not do this. As I followed the events leading to […]
I’m A Survivor of Female Genital Cutting and I’m Speaking Out – As Others Must Too
(This story originally appeared on the Guardian.com on February 8, 2016 and reappeared on the U.S. State Department’s official blog on June 1, 2016. It is republished here with permission). By Maryum Saifee I was sitting in an anthropology seminar at the University of Texas cramming for a final, only half-listening to a fellow classmate […]