By: Khushi Prakash On Monday, March 2nd, SB 259 was heard before the Connecticut General Assembly’s Judiciary Committee. The hearing brought together advocates, policy experts, and survivors who testified to the urgent need for comprehensive state-level protections against FGM/C. They include: Together the speakers highlighted the serious physical, psychological, and social harms associated with FGM/C. Advocates emphasized that comprehensive legislation …
Category: Connecticut
Connecticut Raises Bill to Protect Children from Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting in Judiciary Committee for 2026 Legislative Session
By: Khushi Prakash On February 18, 2026 the proposal to protect children from female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) was formally placed on the Judiciary Committee agenda, and the very next day, Raised Bill No. 259 was introduced. This bill is a needed step forward for survivor protections in Connecticut. What the bill does Next Steps The next step is for a …
The Coalition’s Official Statement on Bill #1438
Bill #1438, a bill that would ban FGM/C in Connecticut, has been voted out of the Judiciary Committee and is headed to the Senate. This current bill excludes our original language, which included educational provisions and civil remedies for survivors. Below is our official statement on the current state of Bill #1438: The Connecticut Coalition to End Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting …
Engaging the Next Generation: A Conversation on Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting
By Katie Bai On Tuesday, February 18th, Sahiyo (a founding member organization of the Connecticut Coalition to End FGM/C) had the privilege of speaking to students at a Connecticut high school government class at the Academy of Information Technology & Engineering in Stamford, Connecticut (CT). Our presentation focused on the impact of female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) on Connecticut communities, the …
Press Conference Announced In Honor of International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGMC)
Hartford, CT – In Honor of International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGMC), State Representative Jillian Gilchrest and State Representative Nicole Klarides-Ditria along with the Connecticut Coalition to End FGMC will hold a press conference to raise awareness about this critical issue, discuss ongoing advocacy efforts, and highlight House Bill 6596: An Act Concerning The Prevention Of Female Genital Mutilation, …
Legislative Briefing on FGM/C in the State of Connecticut: A Collaboration between the Connecticut Coalition
On January 13th, the Connecticut Coalition to End FGM/C hosted a legislative briefing at the Legislative Building in Hartford, CT. The briefing was held in partnership with Sahiyo, Equality Now, and the U.S. Network to End FGM/C. The briefing provided an opportunity to learn more about the topic of FGM/C and the need to pass a law protecting children from …
The Connecticut Coalition to End FGM/C Interview Series: Zehra Patwa
By Juliet Shires Recently, policy interns at Sahiyo have been interviewing members of the Connecticut (CT) Coalition to End FGM/C to learn more about its members and all the important work they contribute toward ending female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C). For the first three blogs, we interviewed Jo Keogh, Caitlin LeMay, and Joanne Golden. In our third blog, Sahiyo’s policy intern, Juliet Shires, spoke to Zehra Patwa, Sahiyo U.S.’s …
The Connecticut Coalition to End FGM/C Interview Series: Joanne Golden
By Juliet Shires Recently, policy interns at Sahiyo have been interviewing members of the Connecticut (CT) Coalition to End FGM/C to learn more about coalition members’ important work toward policy creation on female genital cutting (FGC). In the first blog of the series, Sahiyo’s policy intern, Juliet Shires, interviewed the Executive Director of the U.S End FGM/C Network and CT Coalition member Caitlin LeMay. For this second blog, she …
The Connecticut Coalition to End FGM/C Interview Series: Caitlin LeMay
By Juliet Shires Policy interns at Sahiyo have been interviewing members of the Connecticut (CT) Coalition to End FGM/C to learn more about them and their important work. Recently, Sahiyo’s policy intern, Juliet Shires, talked to the Executive Director of the U.S End FGM/C Network and CT Coalition member, Caitlin LeMay about her personal experiences as an advocate as well …
The Connecticut Coalition to End FGM/C Interview Series: Jo Keogh
By Juliet Shires Recently, policy interns at Sahiyo have been interviewing members of the Connecticut (CT) Coalition to End FGM/C to learn more about each individual and to better understand all the important work they contribute towards ending FGM/C. The information below comes from an interview between Sahiyo’s former policy intern, Azalieh Erawoc, and CT Coalition member, Jo Keogh. Jo Keogh, a member of …