Mariya Taher to represent Sahiyo at Women Deliver Conference
Sahiyo is proud to report that cofounder Mariya Taher has been invited by the Orchid Project to attend the Women Deliver Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark and speak at a side event on Tuesday, May 17, 2016, title Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: Achieving the Global Goal, Together. Detailed information on side event below: Name of Event: Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C): Achieving the Global Goal, Together Organizers: Orchid Project Date: Tuesday, May 17, 2016 Time: 18:00 – 20:00 Description: In partnership, Orchid Project and The Girl Generation will host an interactive panel event to highlight prevalence of FGM/C in countries worldwide and discuss strategies for achieving progress against Global Goals target 5.3. Diverse speakers from practicing countries will unite to share their personal experiences, bringing local activism to the global stage. Audience members will be encouraged to share and compare learnings from different contexts, discussing effective current methods and strategies for ending FGC. Together we aim to take advantage of the recently enshrined target in the Global Goals to hold governments to account and work towards a world free from FGM/C. Speakers Include: Dr Linah Jebill Kilimo, Chair of Anti-FGM Board, Kenya Mariya Taher, Sahiyo, India and United States Kelechukwu Nwachukwu, Nigerian youth activists Filzah Sumartono, Singaporean youth activists from AWARE CHAIRS: Julia Lalla-Maharajh, Orchid Project Faith MWangi-Powell, The Girl Generation ABOUT WOMEN DELIVER CONFERENCE: Women Deliver, the world’s largest conference on the health, rights, and wellbeing of girls and women in the last decade, will be held on May 16-19th. The conference will bring together diverse voices and interests to drive progress in maternal, sexual, and reproductive health and human rights. Allies from around the world will come together to build capacity, share solutions, and forge partnerships, together creating coalitions, communications, and action that spark political commitment and investment in girls and women. The work of Women Deliver will include: Convening global and regional conferences Engaging new allies in the movement Building the next generation of advocates Developing advocacy tools and resources. To learn more about the conference, you can visit http://www.womendeliver.org/
A Word of Thanks From Sahiyo’s Co-founder, Mariya Taher
I need to say something and I don’t think it can wait. In the last few days, I’ve had two very heart-warming conversations with men who have thanked me for the work that I’m doing to better the world for their daughters. I never expected to receive those comments or to have these men express themselves in the way that they have with me. I didn’t realize how much it would affect me, and that as I sit here in this café writing this blog entry that I would have trouble not tearing up, and not feeling grateful to them. I’m not sure about you, but me, I love the work that I do, and I know that working in the gender violence field is not easy. It can be thankless. It can put you at odds with many members of your family and your friends. You will run up against those who try to challenge you, who will just not understand where you are coming from, and what you are trying to fight for. You will know that all you can do and hope for is to make a small dent in the world. That if only one person benefits from the work you do, that it is enough. But, I don’t think you ever really expect to be thanked for your work. And so, when you are, maybe like me, you will shed a tear in relief. So, to those men, I want to say, thank you. To everyone and anyone who has encouraged me, thank you. Sometimes, I don’t really know what it is I’m working towards. I don’t know if I’m making a difference. And I don’t know if anyone out there cares that I am doing this work. Your words have comforted me and made me really understand that I am doing important work. That I have a voice, a story, a role to play in making our world a little safer. Thank you. ~ Mariya