Sahiyo completed our 2024 Voices to End FGM/C digital storytelling workshop, welcoming 10 new storytellers to our ninth cohort. Since 2018, this initiative has united over 80 survivors, advocates, and community members in sessions designed to empower participants to share their personal stories and experiences with FGC.

This year's workshop was held in a hybrid format, starting with two virtual sessions on May 28 and June 4. These initial online gatherings allowed participants to introduce themselves, share their experiences, and begin forming deep, meaningful connections. The virtual sessions provided a safe and intimate space for storytelling, laying the groundwork for the in-person sessions that followed on June 22-23 at the George Washington University Milken School of Public Health in Washington, D.C. 

Once everyone gathered in person, the excitement was palpable as participants, who had bonded over their virtual interactions, finally met face-to-face. The atmosphere was like a reunion of old friends, filled with warmth and familiarity, as the intimate stories that had already been shared created strong bonds among them. During the in-person sessions, participants engaged in various activities designed to deepen their reflections and creative expressions as they recorded the audio and pieced together the visuals for their digital stories. A particularly touching moment was when a participant gifted beautiful scarves to the workshop facilitators, as a way to express her gratitude for the workshop and the supportive community it cultivated. She explained that this gesture is a custom in her community in Ethiopia, symbolizing appreciation and connection.

To capture the inner workings and overall essence of the workshop, we invited a videographer and photographer to document the event on our last day together. They took photos and b-roll footage to create a behind-the-scenes video about the workshop. Facilitators and participants were interviewed about their roles and experiences, and storytellers shared their hopes and aspirations for their videos. These interviews provided deeper insights into the personal journeys, the impact of the workshop, and how the Voices to End FGM/C program has grown over the past few years. 

Both the virtual and in-person sessions were transformative, allowing participants to engage in a supportive space where interactions fostered a strong sense of community and solidarity. We are excited to share their stories with all of you in the coming months, showcasing the participants' courage and commitment to ending FGC. 

To learn more about the Voices to END FGM/C program click here.

By: Brad Mazon (originally published on Brad's blog and reshared with his permission)

I’ve been involved with, and have worked against, the torture of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) since I worked with the U.S. Department of State in Somalia as a graduate school intern. The #EndFGM movement has experienced many successes over the years in terms of anti-FGM legislation and engaging men and boys in learning about this human rights violation.

As I sat in on a webinar last week designed to discuss strategies to bring men aboard as partners in this fight, I realized how steeped in the patriarchy some of my male colleagues were. Their solutions to ending the practice, while well-meaning, seemed to value mens’ perspectives and approaches over those of women and girls.

So I simply wrote in a Zoom comment: “I’m concerned that some of you believe that only men can end FGM. Men and women are equal, so if you are continually returning to the men in a community for their approval and participation to end FGM, then you are perpetuating the very men-oriented approaches that got girls and women into this mess in the first place.’

Seemingly the only white Western male on the call, I waited with baited breath for responses. I understood that men need to be involved in ending FGM, and wanted only to question my well-meaning male colleagues to question their own, and indeed their own cultures’, male privilege.

Phew! Some lovely heart emojis appeared, and some thumbs up too. I was relieved, even if my comment might have ruffled some male feathers. I had to leave the Zoom call, but hope that my comment meaningfully added to the discussion of ending this scourge. These men are on the front lines, working to end FGM. I merely encouraged them to keep male privilege, mansplaining, and toxic masculinity in check.

In honor of Father’s Day 2024, Sahiyo’s male engagement program, Bhaiyo, has launched a month-long public awareness campaign to uplift the importance of male voices and allies in ending FGC. If you would like to contribute, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Related:

• The practice of khatna on girls must stop 
• Starting the Dialogue: Sharing Your Experiences on Initiating Conversations with Men about Female Genital Cutting
• Breaking the Silence: A Conversation with My Father About FGM/C
• How to have effective conversations about FGC
• Why men too must speak out against Khatna

Juliet Shires is a rising junior at San Diego State University studying English with minors in Political Science and French. She is passionate about making meaningful policy changes accompanied by comprehensive educational programming. Juliet is excited to be working with Sahiyo to join the fight against gender-based violence, bringing marginalized voices to the forefront.

When and how did you first get involved with Sahiyo?

I began my time at Sahiyo as a policy intern at the end of March 2024. I found Sahiyo because I was looking for internships where I could get involved with policy work. I wasn’t searching for advocacy around a particular issue but when I found Sahiyo and looked more into their work, I knew it was something I wanted to be involved in.

What does your work with Sahiyo involve?

My day-to-day work with Sahiyo can take many different forms. Most of it revolves around Sahiyo’s advocacy work with several state coalitions to pass or improve laws around FGC. This can take the form of attending meetings and interviewing coalition members in order to write blog posts highlighting the work that the coalition is doing. Most recently I have been planning the “CA Coalition - FGM/C in California - Past, Present, and Future” webinar. The aim of which is to grow the policy work we are doing in California. This webinar should take place in early August. In the Washington coalition, I have aided in the implementation phase of Senate Bill 5453, which was passed last year, helping fill out plans going into next year and researching how other states have implemented their own FGC laws.

How has your involvement with Sahiyo impacted your life?

I have learned so much already in my time with Sahiyo. From the importance of listening to survivors, to realizing just how many people and communities are impacted by FGC. Furthermore, Sahiyo has shown me how much I enjoy working on single-issue policy. What this means is that my work at Sahiyo revolves around FGC, allowing me to focus on helping to support policy that revolves around a specific issue, which leads to policies that are better attuned to addressing FGC.

 What words of wisdom would you like to share with others who may be interested in supporting Sahiyo and the movement against FGC?

Just get involved in any way you can, and in whatever way you have the capacity to do so. The most intimidating step is always the first, so I think it’s important to just jump right in with advocacy, and take the time to learn about the issue.

Related:

• Volunteer Spotlight: Programs Intern Sophia Jones

• Staff Spotlight Community Engagement Coordinator: Samman Masud

• A conversation with Washington activist Absa Samba: SB 5453 a product of collaboration and persistence

• Washington State becomes 41st state to pass law against FGM/C

By: Noor Mohamed

Initiating conversations about female genital cutting (FGC) can potentially pose significant challenges, particularly when engaging with men. Yet, these discussions can play a vital role in fostering an understanding of and helping to drive positive change toward abandonment of FGC within communities. Exploring this sensitive topic with men opens avenues for uncovering deeply held beliefs, cultural nuances, and personal experiences that can shed light on the complexities surrounding FGC. It is through these conversations that we gain deeper insights into the underlying factors influencing attitudes toward FGC and pave the way for meaningful dialogue and collaboration toward addressing this issue.

Navigating Sensitive Conversations: Unveiling Perspectives on Female Genital Cutting

For my master’s thesis on the cultural acceptance or condemnation of female genital cutting in the USA, engaging with fathers turned out to be pivotal in my research success and was central to my learning. Here’s how I approached it.

A Respectful Approach

As a Sudanese researcher (EM), it was important for me to conduct interviews with respect and politeness, because respecting men is a big part of my culture. In our community, a woman's reputation can be easily damaged if sensitive topics are discussed too openly. So, I made sure to meet each person respectfully, making them feel valued and comfortable. I initiated discussions by focusing on women’s roles in society and the family to create a formal yet inviting atmosphere for fathers to share their thoughts openly.

Navigating Sensitive Topics:

Sensitive topics, including intimate matters, were avoided, such as: how does a wife with cut genitals experience sex? Is sexual intercourse a source of joy for both partners or does it involve pain? Did they seek the help of a midwife to dilate the vaginal orifice in their early sexual life, if sexual intercourse was not possible due to the small vaginal orifice size? 

Additionally, questions regarding men's enjoyment during sex were avoided, and women's health issues, such as irregular menstrual cycles, were not discussed. Avoiding these types of questions allowed fathers to feel more comfortable and less stressed during the interviews. In many cultures, discussing intimate life can be a sensitive issue that might hinder the continuation of the interview. Therefore, I ensured these topics were avoided to maintain a conducive environment for dialogue.

Unveiling Perspectives on FGC

Once the initial trust was established and we were discussing women as the center of the project, the conversations moved to opinions on FGC, religious perspectives, and whether they would consider FGC for their daughters. I emphasized that my aim was not to make them oppose FGC but to understand their perspectives.

Insights and Reflections

These conversations revealed the underlying factors influencing men's support for FGC and helped identify potential advocates for future anti-FGC educational initiatives. Men who supported the practice often justified it by citing religious reasons, while those against it stressed the importance of education against the practice and expressed their willingness to be part of educational communities. Some fathers felt so comfortable in the discussion that they shared personal stories about their childhood female friends who underwent the practice, describing how these friends were bedridden and unable to play with them.

Catalyst for Change

Treating participants with genuine courtesy facilitated candid discussions about the complexities of FGC and the challenges of addressing it within communities. In Sudanese culture, men have a significant influence, as their words are highly respected. They have the authority to prevent the practice of female genital cutting (FGC) from being imposed on their daughters or younger sisters, overriding the influence of grandmothers and wives who might support the tradition. Additionally, men can freely discuss with other men why FGC is a harmful practice without fear of being judged. This cultural dynamic underscores the importance of engaging men in discussions and decisions regarding FGC

Concluding thoughts

Discussing FGC with fathers has its challenges, but the rewards for understanding and potentially intervening to change social norms come from talking to all concerned with respect, dignity, and an eye to learning diverse perspectives on a very important issue. Even when interviewing women, respect was paramount. This respect is a way to show that I, as an interviewer, am still following our cultural norms when it comes to talking about sensitive topics like FGC, which matters greatly to participants. It is important not to stress that FGC is a wrong practice. The interview or discussion should show that you are someone seeking others' opinions about the practice. This approach helps avoid arguments and enables the collection of adequate information that can help in building future research or educational plans.

In honor of Father’s Day 2024, Sahiyo’s male engagement program, Bhaiyo, has launched a month-long public awareness campaign to uplift the importance of male voices and allies in ending FGC. If you would like to contribute, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Related:

• Breaking the Silence: A Conversation with My Father About FGM/C
• How to have effective conversations about FGC
• Why men too must speak out against Khatna
• The practice of khatna on girls must stop 

On July 3rd, Sahiyo’s co-founder and U.S. Executive Director Mariya Taher will discuss cross-border and transnational female genital cutting (FGC) during the fifty-sixth session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland.

This Side Event conducted in collaboration with OHCHR, the UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation, Equality Now, and the Permanent Mission of Burkina Faso,aims to raise awareness about cross-border and transnational female genital mutilation/cutting. The panel discussion will also aim to provide a platform for various stakeholders, including states, UN agencies, civil society organizations and survivors, to discuss what can be done in response

Cross-border and transnational female genital mutilation/cutting is poorly documented yet critical to address if we want to end this harmful practice. Gaps in national and regional legal frameworks, lack of systematic and coordinated cooperation, and insufficient resources are just some of the challenges activists face in working to prevent it. 

The moderator for this event is Divya Srinivasan, the Global Lead on Ending Harmful Practices at Equality Now. Speakers include: 

• H.E. Ambassador Nadine Traore Bazie, Chargée d'affaires,  Permanent Mission of Burkina Faso, who will give the opening remarks. 
• Hannah Wu, OHCHR who will present the findings of the report on cross-border and  transnational female genital mutilation. 
• Julia Bunting, UNFPA who will discuss the work of the UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on  the elimination of female genital mutilation.
• H.E. Dr. Isatou Touray, Former Vice President of The Gambia and Executive Director  of Gambia Committee on Traditional Practices Affecting the Health of Women and  Children (GAMCOTRAP), will highlight cross-border female genital mutilation.  
• Mariya Taher, Survivor and Executive Director of Sahiyo, U.S., who will discuss the issue of transnational female genital mutilation. 

To keep up with all of Sahiyo's events, bookmark Sahiyo's events calendar. You can also subscribe to our newsletter.

By Hakim Rangwala

Even in today's modern age, when Mukesh Ambani entrusted his daughter Isha with the management of a multi-crore retail business, there exists a very repulsive and harmful practice among the Dawoodi Bohra, a Shia sub-sect that generally looks modern and reformist on the surface.

When a girl is young, the Bohras cut her clitoris. They believe this to be a religious rite, and even today, well-educated Bohras and those with big businesses strictly practice it. Among Bohras all over the world, this practice of khatna is done by women themselves, and in cities and towns where there is no such woman, girls are taken abroad for it. 

This organ given by nature [the clitoris], which gives women the maximum sexual pleasure, is called 'bhrugankur' in Gujarati. Taking it away from a woman is a harm like no other. This is the only one. 

A few years ago, a case was filed against three Bohras in Australia for carrying out this practice of khatna on two young girls. This practice is illegal in Australia and other Western countries. Because of this case, the Bohra jamaats in Sydney and other such Western cities issued notices to the local communities not to perform khatna on girls. 

Now, some humanitarians have filed a legal appeal in court to demand that this practice is banned in India. I think it is not too much to expect that the good people reading this should also join in making this demand to abolish this harmful practice.

Hakim's blog post was originally written in Gujarati. Here is the untranslated version:

મુકેશ અંબાણીએ દીકરી ઈશાને લાખો-કરોડો રૂપિયાના વહીવટનો રિટેઇલ વેપાર સોંપીને સ્ત્રી પ્રત્યે સન્માન અને વિશ્વાસ દાખવ્યો એવા આજના આધુનિક યુગમાં પણ ઈસ્લામના શિયા સંપ્રદાયનો પેટા સંપ્રદાય દાઉદી વ્હોરા, જે સામાન્ય રીતે ઉપરથી આધુનિક અને સુધારાવાદી દેખાય છે, એ વ્હોરાઓમાં એક અતિ ધૃણાજનક અને ક્રૂર પ્રક્રિયા અસ્તિત્વમાં છે.

સ્ત્રી જ્યારે નાની બાળકી હોય છે ત્યારે આ વ્હોરાઓ એ બાળકીના ક્લાઈટોરીસ નું છેદન કરાવે છે. આ ક્રિયાને તેઓ ધાર્મિકતા સમજે છે અને મોટા કહેવાતા ઉદ્યોગપતિઓ, ભણેલા- ગણેલા દાઉદી વ્હોરાઓ પણ આ ક્રિયાનું ચુસ્ત પાલન કરે છે આજના યુગમાં પણ. દુનિયા આખીમાં સ્ત્રી ખતના કરવાનું કામ ખુદ વ્હોરા સ્ત્રીઓ જ કરતી હોય છે અને જ્યા એવી સ્ત્રી ન રહેતી હોય એ ગામ-શહેરના લોકો પોતાની બાળકીઓને બહારગામ લઈ જઈને પણ આ ખતના કરાવે છે.

સ્ત્રીને સેક્સમાં મહત્તમ આનંદ આપતું કુદરતે એને આપેલું અંગ જેને ગુજરાતીમાં ભૃગાંકુર કહે છે. આ અંગ સ્ત્રી પાસેથી આંચકી લેવું એના જેવી ક્રૂર ક્રિયા બીજી એકેય નથી. આ એક અને અજોડ ક્રૂરતા છે.

અમુક વર્ષો પહેલા ઓસ્ટ્રેલિયામાં બે યુવતીઓ પર ખત્ના કરવા બદલ ત્રણ વ્હોરા સામે કેસ દાખલ કરવામાં આવ્યો હતો. ઓસ્ટ્રેલિયા અને પશ્ચિમના અન્ય ઘણા દેશોમાં છોકરીઓ પર ખટના ગેરકાયદેસર છે. આ કેસને કારણે, સિડનીમાં અને આમાંના ઘણા પશ્ચિમી શહેરોમાં વ્હોરા જમાતે સ્થાનિક સમુદાયને હવે છોકરીઓ પર ખત્ના ન કરવા સૂચના આપી છે.

હવે ભારતમાં આવી ક્રૂર પ્રથા ન હોવી જોઈએ કાયદાથી એવી માંગ અમુક માનવતાવાદી લોકોએ ઉપાડીને કોર્ટમાં અપીલ કરી છે. આ વાંચનાર ભલા લોકોએ પણ આ માંગ માં જોડાવું જોઈએ અને આ ક્રૂર પ્રથા નાબૂદ થવી જોઈએ એવી અપેક્ષા વધુ પડતી નથી જ એવું મને લાગે છે, હો સાહેબ.....

In honor of Father’s Day 2024, Sahiyo’s male engagement program, Bhaiyo, has launched a month-long public awareness campaign to uplift the importance of male voices and allies in ending FGC. If you would like to contribute, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Related:

• Breaking the Silence: A Conversation with My Father About FGM/C
• How to have effective conversations about FGC
• Why men too must speak out against Khatna