Sahiyo - a flame burning bright amid adversity

This picture has been used for representational purpose

The past year was all about survival. Amid the darkness and gloom, the human spirit shone through like a candle with its defiant orange, yellow flame burning steadfast in a dark room.

We would like to think of Sahiyo as one of these candles. A light that marked its fifth anniversary last year, a milestone to be immensely proud of, given what it is up against.

In the founders' words, Sahiyo, a transnational organisation was born in December 2015, when five women who felt strongly about ending Female Genital Cutting (FGC) came together in conversation to determine how one could collaborate to address the issue of FGC.

Now, five years later, they state that Sahiyo is a leading organisation dedicated to community-building, empowering survivors, and pushing a movement toward awareness of the global nature of FGC, or female genital mutilation, in Asian and other communities.

During these past five years, they say they have created 10 survivor- and community-based programs and awareness campaigns, have had 38 storytellers from eight countries taking part in their Voices to End FGM/C workshops.

Cutting, or khatna, as it is called in the Bohri community where it is still widely prevalent, needs a very tough push to be made illegal in India and brought to an end. It needs courage and the will to pick up what we call, the 'burning coal'.

This paper has reported on Sahiyo's Mumbai initiatives and stated firmly that it stands against FGC/M.

People being forced to make their daughters undergo this practice, any overt or covert pressure, need to be strongly countered.

More support to the anti-FGC/M movement. Stamp out this practice and support those who dare to defy the status quo.