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What is Female Genital Cutting?

Female Genital Cutting (FGC), Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), female circumcison or khatna

Female genital cutting involves the partial or total removal of external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. The practice has no health benefits for girls and women.

Why does Sahiyo refer to it as female genital cutting or FGC?

Sahiyo utilizes the term FGC because research and best practices informs us that to engage in dialogue and to create social change, we can’t come from a hostile position. The term ‘mutilation’ can be viewed with suspicion. This suspicion, in turn, makes it difficult for us to engage with people in a practicing community on FGC. We also understand that ‘mutilation’ comes with the connotation of ‘intending to harm’. As activists who engage in dialogue with communities to abandon FGC, by not using ‘mutilation’ we acknowledge that communities are not intending to harm their daughters. Rather they may continue FGC because of a belief it is in the girl’s best interest and/or feeling pressured into having FGC done on their daughter by others in the community. To learn more, read our Blog

SAHIYO RESOURCES

BLOG

From the experiences of survivors and the reflections of supporters, Sahiyo Blog is a curation of stories and narratives on FGM/C.

SURVIVOR SUPPORT RESOURCES

If you would like to connect with Sahiyo about your experience undergoing Female Genital Cutting, please feel free to e-mail us at info@sahiyo.org.


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Email: info@sahiyo.org 

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