Reflecting on the Activist Retreat
By Arefa Cassoobhoy Why did you want to attend the retreat? I had attended a virtual retreat during Covid and I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed meeting other people virtually, so that helped me feel comfortable that I would do well in an in-person group. Going to the virtual retreat also made me […]
Impactful Media Reporting on Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting in the United States: A Reflection on our April 17, 2024 Webinar
By Megan Seaver On April 17th, Sahiyo U.S and Equality Now had the honor of hosting a virtual event, “Impactful Media Reporting on Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting in the United States: A Conversation.” This webinar explored how to report on female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) in a culturally cognizant, gender-sensitive, and ethical way. Attendees were media and […]
Reflections after sharing my story during the Psychosocial Impacts of FGM/C Webinar
Farrah Dalal was one of the speakers who participated in our “Quiet Activism and the Psychosocial Impacts of Female Genital Cutting” webinar. Watch a recording of the event here. By Farrah Dalal Sharing my story and participating in events to uplift the cause of ending FGM/C always leaves me with feelings of physical heaviness afterwards. Normally, […]
Rally, Revel, Repeat : A Changemakers Retreat!
By Lubaina Plumber Remember that pivotal moment when a cause became intensely personal? That’s what happened to me when I discovered the human rights violation of female genital cutting (FGC) a few years ago. It triggered buried memories of my own experience as an eight-year-old survivor. I finally attended the transformative Sahiyo Activists Retreat in […]
Key takeaways from the “From Rhetoric to Reality: Closing the Funding Gap to End FGM/C” event
By Sheena Vasani and Mariya Taher It’s hard to believe, but in monetary terms, all it could take to avert one case of FGM/C is $95 – roughly the cost many of us pay for a year or so of Netflix. Despite that fact, one of the reasons female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is on the rise worldwide […]
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 […]
Navigating Complexity: Understanding and Addressing Challenges Faced by Kurdish Women with FGM/C
By Osman Mahmoudi UNICEF reports that FGM/C remains prevalent in Iraqi Kurdistan, affecting over half of women who live there. The profound impact of this practice requires urgent medical and psychological support for survivors. However, a lack of specialized professionals in the region, and limited awareness of treatment options and complications, pose challenges. Cultural taboos and social […]
This Father’s Day, join our campaign
In honor of Father’s Day 2024, Sahiyo’s male engagement program, Bhaiyo is launching a public awareness campaign to uplift the importance of male voices and allies in ending female genital cutting or FGC. Recognizing that FGM/C is a community health issue – not just a woman’s issue – the movement to end FGC needs additional […]
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 […]
Critical Intersections of FGM/C: The Value of Intersectionality in Cross-Collaboration Webinar
Sahiyo is excited to announce an upcoming event tied to our survivor and advocate-led Critical Intersections Research Project! This original research, which has been in development for over two years, examines the issue of female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) through an intersectional lens. This includes an analysis of media on the topic (published in our first […]