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 […]
Mutilation or enhancement: A researcher’s argument for respectful terminology on genital cutting
By Brian D. Earp I have published several papers on the ethics of medically unnecessary genital cutting practices affecting children of all sexes and genders. When my writing touches on the sub-set of these practices that affect persons with characteristically female sex-typed genitals, I have received some pushback for using the term female genital cutting […]
What I learned from survivors and advocates on my podcast about female genital cutting
By Aubrey Bailey I graduated this April 2021 from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in graphic design. For my senior capstone project I was instructed to choose a topic that I would stick with for a year and then conduct in-depth research, write a research paper, and display […]
Is the United Kingdom backing out of its commitment to end female genital cutting amid the COVID-19 pandemic?
By Olivia Bridge In the midst of a global pandemic set to the backdrop of Brexit, ending violence against women and girls (VAWG) appears to have slipped down the United Kingdom (U.K.) Government’s priority list. Yet, as campaigners and charities are acutely aware, abuse thrives in silence behind closed doors – and women and girls […]
Crying out our mothers’ grief: How we allowed female genital mutilation to flourish in our communities
By Tamanna Taher When I began writing an article on female genital mutilation (FGM), I was adamant that my research be thorough, and my opinions be carefully articulated. However, I did not realise the mammoth task the latter would become. It has been two years since I started writing this article. I was a sophomore […]
Fiction, Truth, and Female Genital Cutting: A reflection of the fireside chat with Farzana Doctor
On October 4th, Sahiyo partnered with acclaimed Canadian author and WeSpeakOut cofounder Farzana Doctor to host Fiction, Truth, and Female Genital Cutting: A Fireside Chat. During this intimate conversation, we had the opportunity to hear from Doctor about her latest novel, Seven. Compelling and passionate, Seven follows the journey of Sharifa, a woman trying to […]
Orchid Project releases report detailing the pandemic’s impact on female genital cutting
By Hunter Kessous Reports of an increasing rate of female genital cutting (FGC) began early in the pandemic. We are now nine months into the lockdowns and school closures, which have propagated the cutting of young girls. In response, the Orchid Project, decided to further investigate the impact of COVID-19 on the practice of FGC […]
Annual Reports
Annual Report: Sahiyo U.S: June 2019-June 2020 Throughout this past year, our programs have expanded to support larger numbers of women impacted by female genital cutting. Our Voices to End FGM/C project alone saw the creation of 37 new original digital stories stories. Running since 2017, the program involves survivors coming together to heal from […]
From Saving Safa to Seven: How authors use writing to shed light on FGC
By Cate Cox “Without our work, the issue would quickly be swept under the carpet — and so we carry on.” —Waris Dirie, Saving Safa It wasn’t until my first year at university before I was asked to critically engage with the issue of female genital cutting (FGC). Up until then what I knew about […]
Research study explores female genital cutting
“Talking about Female Genital Cutting (FGC): A Study” is a research study undertaken to explore the way communities talk about FGC, the challenges of having such conversations, and the attitudes toward movements and campaigns on FGC. The study is authored by Reetika Revathy Subramanian and funded by Grand Challenges Canada. The project has been led […]