On January 20th at 4:30 IST, Sahiyo will host a webinar titled ‘How to Stop The Rising Trend of Medicalisation of Female Genital Cutting in Asia,’ featuring a panel discussion with medical experts and gender rights activists from India and Singapore who specialise in sexual and reproductive health. The medicalisation of female genital cutting (FGC) is an increasing issue in a number of Asian countries; a stark lack of legislation concerning the practice has contributed to a medical normalisation of FGC. Our panelists will explore medical perspectives about medicalisation and the current ethical debate surrounding this phenomenon, as well as touching upon the safety concerns and question of consent that underpins much of the controversy. Sahiyo is unwaveringly opposed to medical professionals performing FGC, as we believe it sets an alarming precedent of normalising the practice; we are keen to stress that there are no safe ways to cut a girl’s genitals, and therefore medicalisation is an important issue to address in the work against FGC.

During this webinar, we will bring a diverse variety of voices to the panel to discuss the different elements of medicalising FGC, offering their own expert reasons for, and the dangers of, this increasing medicalisation. Our goal is to create a platform to explore the complexities of the shift towards the medicalisation of FGC across the world and to dispel the myth that it is a harmless way to perform the practice. In line with Sahiyo’s mission for women and girls to have autonomy over their body, standing firmly against the medicalization of FGC re-affirms a woman's right to have control over her body and live her life free of harm.