Milken Institute School of Public Health, Sahiyo, and other Community Partners Receive DOJ Grant to end FGC
Sahiyo U.S. is pleased to announce we’ve been awarded a grant alongside George Washington University’s Milken Institute School of Public Health, U.S. End FGM/C Network, and Global Woman PEACE Foundation from the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) to develop training programs, prevention strategies, and education on FGM/C. “FGM/C is an issue I’ve known about my entire life.This partnership between our various organizations highlights something as a child I never thought possible, a public recognition that FGM/C is a concern in the U.S.,” said Mariya Taher, Executive Director of Sahiyo U.S. “It is significant that the OVW is recognizing the importance of addressing FGM/C in the United States, and that understanding its intersections with other forms of violence against women is crucial,” said Caitlin LeMay, the Executive Director of the U.S. End FGM/C Network. Read the full article here.
Mariya Featured on Maitri’s Between Friends Podcast
This past month Sahiyos co-founder and U.S. Executive Director, Mariya Taher participated in an episode of Maitri’s, Between Friends Podcast. The episode focused on the taboos surrounding FGC and why speaking about the practice, both in public and community settings is vital to help end the practice. Maitri is an organization that supports South Asian women who have been through or are currently in situations of domestic violence. Over the years their work has expanded to include providing survivors with mental and legal support, creating training programs, and educating communities on the impacts of domestic violence. To learn more about Maitri’s work, click here. Listen to Mariya’s episode here: YouTube Spotify SoundCloud Link
Sahiyo releases new research report on February 6th
Sahiyo U.S. is excited to announce the publication of Examining Intersections Between Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting And Social Oppressions: A Mixed Methods Study, the second of three reports from our Critical Intersections Research Project. Inspired by our 2021 webinar, and building upon themes derived from our initial body of work released in 2023, this new report is based on original research from a mixed-methods survey with over 100 respondents, including individuals and organization that work within and beyond the FGM/C sphere. We are proud to share this report on February 6th, International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM/C, as part of our survivor and advocate-led original research project. The report examines two main forms of oppressions intersecting with FGM/C: systemic forces, including discrimination within institutions, as well as interpersonal and communcal factors, such as discrimination within practicing communities and the anti-FGM/C movement itself. This body of work also identifies challenges and opportunities for cross-collaboration with other social justice movements and provides recommendations for how to implement this intersectional work. This research is meant to support advocates working in FGM/C to better understand how these intersecting oppressions affect the movement to end FGM/C, and connect fellow activists and social change makers to understand the larger forms of inequity at play and unite in ending these universally oppressive systems. We aim to strengthen anti-FGM/C efforts by addressing the roots of inequity and inequality and to create stronger collaborative movements across various human rights issues. Read the report here. Learn more about the Critical Intersections Research Project here.
Voices to End FGM/C 2023 Cohort Video Screening
Date: March 27th Time: 10 AM PT/1 PM ET Registration link: https://bit.ly/Voices23Screening On Wednesday, March 27th at 10 AM PT/1 PM ET, Sahiyo will host a screening of the newest Voices to End FGM/C videos, which were developed through Sahiyo, Asian Women’s Shelter, and SilenceSpeaks, with survivors of and advocates against female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C). In addition to viewing these nine poignant stories, attendees will get the chance to hear from some of the storytellers themselves about their work and journey. “I hope that my story will be a clarion call for folks to help me bring to light the need for medical care for hundreds of thousands of women who need help locally, nationally, and globally.” Doris Mukangu, Voices ‘23 Workshop Participant The Voices to End FGM/C Program is a digital storytelling project created by SilenceSpeaks and Sahiyo that aims to mobilize a critical mass of survivors and activists from across the globe. Voices to END FGM/C brings people together to share and heal from their experiences of FGM/C, to connect and grow as leaders in their own communities, and to create short videos calling for an end to this harmful practice. With the support of the Wallace Global Fund and the Office for Victims of Crime, U.S. Department of Justice, Sahiyo is currently designing a guide to equip you with the necessary tools to host meaningful educational screenings using videos from the Voices program. In the guide there are discussion prompts, FGM/C FAQ sheets, and event planning tools aimed at fostering deep engagement and inspiring action. For any questions, related to this upcoming guide or our Voices program, please email aries@sahiyo.org
Sahiyo’s Second Annual Silent Auction and Comedy Show
Live Virtual Comedy Show: Thursday, March 7, 2024 Silent Auction: March 6 – March 10, 2024 We are planning Sahiyo’s 2nd annual Women’s Day Celebration & Silent Auction to raise $15K in support of our work to end female genital cutting. The auction will open on Wednesday, Mar. 6, 2024 and close on Sunday, Mar. 10, 2024. During this 5-day event, we will celebrate women’s voices with video spotlights, stories, and entertainment. For more information about the event, donating auction items, participating in the program, purchasing Comedy Show tickets, or sponsoring this event, please contact Sahiyo Development Director, Michelle Taylor at michelle@sahiyo.org.