Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) refers to the partial or complete removal of the outer female genital organs. This extreme form of violence has been practised for thousands of years, specifically on women and mainly for traditional reasons. About 200 million girls and women are affected worldwide, and about three million more girls are affected every year.
The name Mahaliya came into being after a long process of dealing with the subject of female genital mutilation (FGM¹); it means “carrying the legacy into the new age“. The name represents every woman affected by FGM who follows the path of healing and brings the transformation of this ancient practice into the world as the result of her growth to maturity.
The members of Mahaliya e.V. want to make a contribution to a fundamental change of consciousness with regard to the topic of female circumcision.
Mahaliya e.V. was founded in the summer of 2014. It aims to support and counsel affected girls and women in a comprehensive manner. Public awareness and prevention are further goals.
We live in a time in which long suppressed topics are being exposed and are pushing their way into our consciousness.
It is therefore not surprising that we feel helpless and overwhelmed at times. In this rapidly changing world, culturally tabooed topics are being exposed at a breathtaking rate on a global scale. What is revealed is powerful enough to shake the foundations of our emotional bodies and – it seems – mercilessly lead us to the limits of our pain.
We are often overwhelmed by the extent of abysmal cruelty and by what humans are capable of doing in the name of their beliefs and so-called traditions. It is as if we still need to recover from the shock of the bitter truth about our civilisation’s war on femininity in order to realize how much we need to find authentic answers and promote sustained action.
We want to emphasise how fundamentally important the reappraisal of Female Genital Mutilation is for the collective field of humanity and how our presence is essential for people’s understanding and for building a society based on respect.
It is imperative to become aware of the jungle of feelings that this specific form of female oppression triggers in us. Only in this way can we arrive at the clarity of vision necessary to recognize the opportunities for development that are intimately linked with the history of this pain and profound suffering.
Female genital mutilation only came to light quite recently (some five decades ago), when compared to the long tabooed period of its existence of over five thousand years. It is therefore no surprise that we are still in a state of shock and now want to take the next step, in which those affected need to be more involved.
We are paying particular attention to women and girls living in Europe and who are already affected by female genital mutilation.
They and all others are the bearers of all the information contained in their history. They are not only the ones who are suffering, they are also the ones who have the strength to bear the immense repression. This gives an idea of their inherent potential. Our aim is to draw attention to these hidden aspects!
»We can understand history much better if we listen to those who have been silenced in the past. Empathy and compassion are not weaknesses. They strengthen all those who are not afraid to confront a more comprehensive reality.«
(Bishop Desmond Tutu)
