On the eve of International Zero Tolerance Day for Female Genital Cutting 2017, Sahiyo is proud to launch its first media toolkit developed to promote sensitive and effective depiction of Female Genital Cutting/Mutilation (FGC/M) with special reference to Khatna in the Dawoodi Bohra community.

This toolkit will be available as an open-source, freely downloadable and distributable content for journalists, writers, bloggers, filmmakers, designers and other organisations who want to understand how to effectively and sensitively talk about the practice of Khatna.

READ AND DOWNLOAD THE MEDIA RESOURCE GUIDE (PDF) HERE.

FGC/M is a complex subject involving many socio-cultural factors.

The guidelines and examples in the toolkit  are intended to ensure that all media actors reporting on FGC/M are aware of these factors and are able to prioritize the ethical considerations that preserve the safety, confidentiality, and dignity of survivors, their families, their communities, and those who are trying to help them such as NGOs like Sahiyo.

This document is divided into four broad sections:

• An introduction to Female Genital Cutting/Mutilation ‘Khatna’ as a social norm and the role of key terminologies
• ‘Khatna’ as a social norm and the role of key terminologies
• The impact of visuals in influencing the readers and
• best practices for effective reporting.

We have elaborated on a nuanced use of terminology, visuals and reportage, illustrating best practices and ways for media to impact the movement on the practice effectively.

Through this toolkit, our objective is to offer an insider’s perspective on reporting and writing, to guide the media on how to create awareness in a sensitive manner that promotes social change about ‘Khatna’ or ‘Female Genital Cutting’ prevalent in the Dawoodi Bohra community in India and its diaspora worldwide.

This resource guide acknowledges the role of the media and organizations working to shed light on FGC/M .

We hope that this toolkit helps the media (or anyone interested in depicting the issue) in avoiding factual errors, sensationalized visuals, judgemental language and unintentional vilification of the community; to further be a stronger and effective partner in furthering a landmark movement to end Khatna among Bohras.