FGM before the Indian Supreme Court
By: Koen Van den Brande Age: 55Country: India It was to be expected… The Indian Supreme Court has been asked to look at the practice of ‘khatna’ – commonly known as FGM (Female Genital Mutilation) as a result of a Public Interest Litigation filed by Sunita Tiwari, a Delhi based advocate. There was a time, […]
Despite backlash, Sahiyo will continue to work with the community
The World Health Organization (WHO)’s guidelines on the management of health complications from female genital mutilation/cutting states that the “involvement of health-care providers in performing FGM is likely to confer a sense of legitimacy on the practice and could give the impression that the procedure is good for women’s health, or at least that it […]
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 […]
‘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 […]