Legislative Roundtable held in Connecticut to discuss FGC
On November 6th, Sahiyo, as part of the Connecticut Coalition to End FGM/C, supported a legislative briefing on the topic of female genital cutting (FGC) hosted by the Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity and Opportunity (CWCSEO) and Connecticut Representative Jillian Gilchrest. Special guests included Mariya Taher, Co-Founder and U.S. Executive Director of Sahiyo, as […]
My experience at the Global Woman Awards and Walk to End FGM
By Rachel Wine On September 30th, I had the honor of joining survivors, activists, and allies from around the world to participate in the 9th Annual Global Woman Awards the 10th Annual Walk to End FGM. I was grateful for the opportunity to meet with my peers in the anti-FGM/C field in-person, and share in […]
Washington State becomes 41st state to pass law against FGM/C
Sahiyo, as part of the Washington Coalition to End FGM/C, is ecstatic to announce that on April 20th, 2023, Washington state Governor Jay Inslee signed Senate Bill 5453 concerning female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) into law. This law creates a private right of action for survivors of FGM/C; prohibits providers from performing FGM/C on a minor; […]
Washington State makes progress to end FGM/C
Washington State is one of the remaining ten U.S. states without any law that addresses and prohibits female genial mutilation/cutting (FGM/C). FGM/C is a human rights violation and form of child abuse and gender-based violence that involves removal of the female genitalia for non-medical purposes. This gap in state protection has left children in Washington […]
Washington Senate Bill 5453 moves to House Appropriations Committee
In Washington state, Senate Billl 5453 concerning female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) recently passed the House Committee unanimously, and is now scheduled for a public hearing with the House Appropriations Committee on Friday, March 31st at 1:30 PM PST. The bill, which was introduced on January 18th, aims to: create a private right of action for […]
Washington Coalition hosts educational webinar on female genital cutting
On March 9th, the Washington Coalition to End FGM/C, in partnership with Sahiyo, The U.S. End FGM/C Network, Children’s Alliance, and Mother Africa, held a webinar called Protecting Children in Washington State from Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting with the goal of drawing attention to this human rights violation and how it impacts children in the State. […]
Washington SB 5453 moves to the House
SB5453 in Washington State is onto a hearing in the State’s House for Monday, March 13th after passing the Senate unanimously. To express your support of SB5453: You can vote PRO by clicking this link. This is the quickest and easiest way to express your support of this bill! For WA based members, click here to testify In-person If you […]
A conversation with Washington activist Absa Samba: SB 5453 a product of collaboration and persistence
By Rachel Wine As the Washington Senate Bill 5453 concerning female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) moves forward in the legislature, I had the honor of speaking with Absa Samba, who has been instrumental in advocating for legislation on FGM/C in Washington state. Absa’s advocacy journey began over a decade ago, when Absa was in middle school. […]
Proposed legislation in Idaho and Texas discriminates against Transgender Youth and removes protections for children at risk of undergoing FGC
By Hunter Kessous Texas and Idaho are two states in which female genital cutting (FGC) is illegal under state law, for now. In both states, amendments have been proposed in the state legislature that would alter existing policy against FGC to ban gender-affirming care for minors. Gender-affirming care includes social, psychological, behavioral, and medical practices […]
Troubling Idaho House Bill 71 moves on to Senate
In 2019, the Idaho Legislature established a law protecting girls from female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), recognizing it as a violation of human rights. Yet, for the past two years, the same Idaho Legislature has targeted Trans youth, another vulnerable community, by attempting to amend the existing FGM/C law. This amendment would prohibit gender-affirming healthcare from […]