Sahiyo’s Fundraising and Auction Intern Elaina Baliner is a recent graduate of The Ohio State University where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences with a minor in Biology. A passionate global health equity advocate, Elaina actively seeks to maximize positive impact and close health equity gaps. Recently Elaina sat down with Sahiyo's Editorial Assistant, Megan Seaver, to discuss the connection between Sahiyo's mission to end FGC and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
What are the UN Sustainable Development Goals?
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, (SDGs), are the 17 benchmarks set by the UN in order to achieve peace and prosperity for both people and the planet. These goals center on a One Health approach, meaning that the health of people, planet, and animals all intersect with each other. They are designed to break silos within the UN, addressing a longstanding issue of treating personal health, animal health, and planetary health as separate concerns rather than recognizing them as inherently interconnected.
The SDGs are critical in guiding the global effort to push for a better world, addressing a range of interconnected challenges such as poverty, inequality, and environmental degradation. For Sahiyo, the goals that are most closely aligned to our mission of ending FGC are: SGD 3 Good Health and Well-being for All, and SDG 5 Gender Equality — specifically target 5.3 — which calls for the elimination of all harmful practices, including FGC.
How do the goals of Good Health and Wellbeing for All, and Gender Equality, relate to Sahiyo’s mission?
Sahiyo aligns with SDG 3, Good Health and Wellbeing for all, by advocating for the health rights of women and girls. FGC can lead to severe health complications such as chronic pain, infections, increased risk in child rearing complications, psychological trauma, and so much more. By raising awareness of FGC, Sahiyo also shines a light on the physical, mental, and social issues that the practice causes.
Sahiyo also works closely with healthcare professionals to ensure that when survivors do seek care for complications related to FGC, the care they receive is culturally sensitive and wholly beneficial for the survivor.
SDG 5, Gender Equality, is at the heart of Sahiyo's work. The third target of SDG 5, also referred to as SDG 5.3, calls for the elimination of FGC. By providing resources and skills to communities affected by FGC, Sahiyo uplifts survivors’ voices, helping them to share their stories with the world and providing a space for narrative autonomy, which is crucial in promoting gender equality.
Why do you think it’s important that Sahiyo ensure that its projects and programs connect to these goals outlined by the UN?
Connecting our work to the UN goals situates FGC within a broader global context, highlighting that it is not merely a local or regional issue, but a critical matter of international concern.
Additionally, aligning with the SDGs ensures that our projects are contributing to measurable, impactful change. The SDGs provide a framework for tracking progress and accountability, allowing us to demonstrate the effectiveness of our interventions in a globally recognized manner.
Finally, by aligning with these goals, we can better advocate for the necessary support and resources to expand our impact, demonstrating that our efforts to end FGC and protect women and girls are part of the collective global movement toward a more equitable and healthier future for all.
Do you think that the UN is doing enough to address FGC?
The UN has made significant strides in addressing FGC through initiatives like the International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM and the joint UNFPA-UNICEF program. While these efforts have been impactful, there is a pressing need for the UN to expand its scope and reach. The movement to end FGC must be a global one, requiring the UN to broaden its programs to include populations in Western countries and additional nations beyond the current focus on African and Middle Eastern countries in order to meet the 2030 goal of ending the practice. So, while the UN's efforts have reached millions, leveraging their resources to expand this movement can drive even greater impact, ensuring no woman or girl is left behind in the fight against FGC.
What are some programs and initiatives that Sahiyo has done that you think connect to these goals?
One of the programs that has touched me the most is Sahiyo’s Voices to End FGM/C initiative. This initiative empowers survivors, particularly from underrepresented communities, to share their stories through digital narratives. Their bravery in speaking out, often against cultural expectations, helps break the silence around FGC, fostering empathy and creating the foundation for real social change.
Moreover, Sahiyo's focus on movement building is deeply aligned with both the SDGs and the UN’s joint program’s efforts to create a global movement against FGC. Through initiatives like our Activists Retreat, survivor-led policy coalitions, and technical training seminars, Sahiyo has found that as more people speak out and stimulate dialogue, we reach a threshold where change becomes more likely. By building this coalition of voices—survivors, advocates, and community members—we generate powerful momentum toward ending the practice.
What are some ways that you would address these goals and Sahiyo's mission?
A significant way that Sahiyo could further address SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) is by expanding our healthcare provider training program into a comprehensive, adaptable curriculum suitable for both medical schools and continuing education for practicing healthcare professionals. On the research front, Sahiyo has conducted meaningful studies on prevalence, cultural intersections, and survivor narratives, addressing critical data gaps identified by the UN as obstacles to ending the practice. To build on this foundation, pursuing economic impact research would be a powerful next step, providing critical data to inform policy and advocacy. These initiatives are within Sahiyo’s reach and reflect our commitment to addressing SDG 3 and SDG 5. However, realizing them requires the support and resources that come from our community and donors. It is through collective action that we can continue to empower survivors, educate communities, and drive sustainable change.
If you or someone you know wants to impact our work to end FGC, then we invite you to click the link below and make a donation to Sahiyo. It is through donations like yours that our work is possible.