Sahiyo Stories/Voices to End FGM/C

The key strategy involves elevating the voices of survivors and those affected by FGM/C and challenging mainstream media representations of the issue. Together, StoryCenter and Sahiyo held a workshop with survivors of FGC representing the Dawoodi Bohra Muslim community, as well as communities in Kenya, Somalia, and the Midwestern United States. Over the course of three days, the workshop participants shared their experiences, wept and laughed together, and dove into the creative activities of piecing together short videos. On the last day, they invited a videographer to capture the reflections of the storytellers about the digital storytelling process. StoryCenter is continuing to work closely with Sahiyo on sharing the stories that emerged in community and conference settings, as well as online and via social media, with a focus on reducing the silence and stigma that surrounds FGM/C and supporting open, honest conversations about the need to end this harmful practice. Click here to view the entire set of Sahiyo Stories online (YouTube).



Specifically, collaborators went on to expand the vision of this project into what is now known as Voices to End FGM/C, a global effort to bring survivor and advocate stories into the growing mix of international advocacy. Voices to End FGM/C is mobilising a critical mass of storytellers and activists from across the globe by bringing them together to share and heal from FGM/C, connect and grow as leaders, and create short videos calling for an end to this harmful practice. Through a reflective and participatory workshop process, participants connect with each other, heal from the impacts of FGM/C, and become further galvanised to take leadership on efforts to end the practice.



To date, there have been eight workshops: one with women in six different countries through an online process involving women artists and illustrators; one as a wellness and storytelling retreat held in the US for women survivors and advocates (in collaboration with local nonprofit Threads for Wellbeing); one in the US with women survivors and health providers (in collaboration with the George Washington University School of Public Health); two online during COVID-19 with survivors and anti-FGM/C advocates from around the world; and several digital storytelling workshops that, for example, teach participants to create their own video through the use of voiceover audio, still images, and video clips. Following the workshops, the storytellers develop blog postings as a way of reflecting on what it means to share their stories publicly. Click here to watch the Voices to End FGM/C digital storytelling videos.

As part of the 2023 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, the Voices to End FGM/C project launched a podcast series to delve deeper into the stories behind women's stories and to hear from other allies working to end FGM/C. Tune in on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, or listen on the Voices to End FGM/C website. The initial episodes lay the groundwork for an exploration of some of the complex familial, cultural, and political contexts of FGM/C.

FGM/C impacts millions of girls and young women globally. The practice is an age-old cultural tradition shrouded in silence and maintained by adherence to social norms claiming it's necessary for women; the reality is that it exacts a devastating toll on their physical and emotional health. Western media have long focused on the notion that FGM/C occurs in "other countries", with an emphasis on African communities. However, FGM/C is now known to take place in countries across the globe, including the US, where the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that half a million women and girls are at risk of this type of GBV. Sahiyo explains that FGM/C continues because it is viewed as an acceptable social norm, and the organisation works to build a cadre of women who are willing to speak out against the practice as a way of supporting communities in advocating to end it.