Sahiyo Activist Retreats

India Activist Retreat - 2019

The first annual Sahiyo Activists’ Retreats in the US and in India were organized in 2018 for advocates working to end Female Genital Cutting (FGC). The primary aim of these retreats in each country is to bring together ‘activists’ speaking out against FGC — people who work either publicly or anonymously to raise community awareness about the need to end this harmful practice. The retreat now takes place annually, in both India and the US.

Sahiyo understands it takes many to bring about social change, and as a result we work with individuals, organizations and coalitions in a collaborative fashion. As advocates and activists, we are better together and can find the best solutions if we collaborate and work as one.

We also recognize that many advocates speaking out against FGC have been working in isolation from each other. The Sahiyo Activist retreats work towards building a network of Bohra activists by

1) strengthening relationships with one another

2) Sharing best practices and providing tools for activists to utilize in their anti-FGC advocacy work moving forward.

The retreats are also an opportunity for advocates/activists to discuss both challenges and opportunities they have found in advocating against FGC.

Read about participants’ experiences at Sahiyo’s activists retreats here.