Hawaii Policy Update House Bill 2448 Addressing FGM/C Advances out of the Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs
By Karishma Patel House Bill 2448 (HB 2448) represents an important step forward for Hawaii in strengthening the state’s protections to safeguard girls from gender-based violence, such as FGM/C, and ensuring that survivors of this harmful practice can seek the justice that they deserve. Introduced by Representative Linda Ichiyama, House Bill 2448 criminalizes acts of […]
Silence No More: Confronting Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting in Hawaii
By Mariya Taher In 2025, Hawaii proudly ranked as the best state in the nation for women’s equality, a testament to the deeply held Hawaiian values of respect and care for wahine. Yet, beneath this veneer of progress, a silent violence persists: female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), a form of gender-based violence outlawed in most of […]
Connecticut Raises Bill to Protect Children from Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting in Judiciary Committee for 2026 Legislative Session
By: Khushi Prakash On February 18, 2026 the proposal to protect children from female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) was formally placed on the Judiciary Committee agenda, and the very next day, Raised Bill No. 259 was introduced. This bill is a needed step forward for survivor protections in Connecticut. What the bill does Next Steps The […]
Advancing Protections: Connecticut Legislators Briefed on the Urgent Need for Comprehensive Legislation Addressing Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting
By: Khushi Prakash On January 29th, 2026, the Connecticut Coalition to End Female Genital Mutilation and Cutting (FGM/C) partnered with the Commission on Women, Chidlren, Seniors, Equity and Opportunity (CWCSEO) to host an informational briefing for Connecticut legislators and their staff at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford. Survivors, advocates, and members of the CT […]
Orwall’s Senate Bill 6017 Advances Survivor Protections and Support in Washington State
By: Khushi Prakash Senate Bill 6017 is a survivor-centered piece of legislation in Washington State that strengthens protections for individuals impacted by sexual and gender-based violence, including survivors of female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C). Sponsored by Senator Tina Orwall, the bill focuses on reducing re-traumatization, expanding survivor rights, and ensuring state laws better reflect trauma-informed and […]
CALL TO ACTION: Expanding Survivor Protections in Washington State with SB 6017
By: Khushi Prakash The Washington Coalition to end Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) has partnered with Senator Tina Orwall to work on a SB 6017, legislation introduced to build on the existing FGM/C law. The bill is scheduled for hearing on Monday, January 26 at 10:30am PT before the Senate Law and Justice Committee. The primary […]
Know Your Rights: A Resource for Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting Survivors
By Hiromi Nishida At Sahiyo, we aim to address all facets of female genital cutting (FGC) at the global, national, state, and local levels; our mission is not only about ending FGC, but also about contributing to a broader culture of healing and healthy expression of female sexuality, autonomy, and strength. FGC, also known as […]
Protecting CT Girls by Ending FGM/C: Informational Briefing for Legislators and Staff
Date: 1/29/2026 Time: 10 to 11:30 am Briefing; 11:30 to 12:30 ; Networking Lunch with Legislators Location: LOB Hearing Room 2A; Networking Lunch – 2nd floor Atrium Description: An informational briefing to Connecticut legislators and their staff ahead of the 2026 Legislative Session. The briefing will provide background information on FGM/C as a human rights […]
Strengthening Maryland’s Law Addressing Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: The SAFE Act and the Path Forward
By Nareen Pogozelski On November 1, 2025, the DMV Coalition to End FGM/C — a regional coalition of organizations working to end gender-based violence in Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, of which Sahiyo is a member — had the privilege of presenting our bill proposal at the 30th Annual Maryland Legislative Agenda for Women (MLAW) […]
H.R. 3492: A Bane Masquerading as a Boon
By Anjalika Sarkar Introduction H.R. 3492, also known as the Protect Children’s Innocence Act, was recently passed by the House of Representatives in the United States. This bill has been introduced and falsely framed as a way to protect children from genital and bodily mutilations and chemical castrations. Yet, this piece of legislation makes a […]