Absence of female genital cutting laws in India: An issue that requires immediate action
By Richa Bhargava Age: 20 Country: India As a first year law student in Sonipat, India, I was exposed to the practice of female genital cutting (FGC) as a part of my sociology course. We discussed the practice briefly. The article that formed a majority of our discussion only spoke of the existence of FGC […]
Understanding female genital mutilation/cutting: An ally’s call for action
By: Farhanaz Hazari Age: 18 My fight against female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) can be traced back to the day my mother and sister had a discussion with me on how young girls from the age of 7 are subjected to FGM/C or khatna, as it is known in the Bohra community. They explained it in […]
My experience of learning about female genital cutting: An outsider’s perspective
By Madrisha Debnath Not belonging to a community where female genital cutting (FGC) is practiced, I have often faced questions on how I can understand how the practice could occur if I am an outsider and the religion or culture I grew up in never condoned it. Interestingly, those who have questioned me have been […]
Women should not be harmed because of societal norms
By Sakshi Rajani Age: 17 Country: India Female genital cutting (FGC): the term sounded ruthless the first time I heard it. It was not long ago that I was introduced to this term. While going through my Instagram feed, I read a story about a law student who was spreading awareness about FGC, and I […]
Saved by a lie: A story of female genital cutting
By Zainab Khambata Age: 17 Place of residence: Mumbai, India My maternal grandmother prides herself on being the perfect blend of modernity and religion. But when it came to her own daughter who is my mother, in spite of her misgivings, she still fell in line and got my mother circumcised or cut. Ask my […]
Thaal Pe Charcha: February 2020
On February 8th, as part of our International Zero Tolerance Day for FGM/C, Sahiyo hosted its first Thaal Pe Charcha (TPC) for 2020, with a special private screening of ‘A Girl from Mogadishu’, directed by Mary McGuckain. The film is a true story based on the testimony of Ifrah Ahmed, a Somalian whose suffering acted […]
Virtual Thaal Pe Charcha goes pan India
Sahiyo held an online Thaal Pe Charcha (TPC), which loosely translates as “discussions over food,” on October 31st. TPC is a flagship Sahiyo program typically held in person, but was conducted online due to safety during the pandemic. The current COVID-19 situation may have restricted this TPC to a virtual interaction and taken away the […]
मैं किसके साथ सोती हूँ यह फैसला मेरा दिमाग करता है, मेरा ‘क्लिटोरिस’ नहीं
(This post was originally published in English on March 22, 2017. You can read the English version here.) लेखक: सबाहत जहाँ उम्र: 24देश: भारत मैं एक कैफे में बैठकर सोच रही हूँ, क्या मैं अपनी बेटी के साथ जननांग विकृति जैसी दर्दभरी प्रथा को निभाना चाहूँगी या नहीं, जैसा मेरी माँ ने मेरे साथ मज़हब […]
Is legal action against female genital cutting enough to end the practice?
Understanding the impact of a Sahiyo co-founder’s documentary film, A Pinch of Skin, in India by Priya Goswami In September 2018, the Indian Supreme Court referred a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on the prevalence of female genital cutting (FGC) in India to a five-judge constitution bench. My documentary film, A Pinch of Skin, was quoted […]
Sahiyo India needs a part-time Communications Associate
Sahiyo India is looking for a Communications Associate to support various programs, projects and public communications. In this role, you should be an excellent communicator with strong attention to detail. Creating social media campaigns, editing and writing Sahiyo materials and grant based writing will be an important part of your job. If you also have […]