Discrimination against menstruating women is still prevalent in Nepal. Women are considered impure during their periods. This stigma is prevalent among women of all socio-economic groups. But Chhaupadi practice, in which menstruating women and new mothers are forced to stay in an outdoor makeshift shed called Chhaugoth, is the superstition-induced discrimination against women prevalent in Karnali and Sudurpaschim Provinces. During the five days monthly cycle, women in the region are not allowed to enter the home, touch anyone and are restricted from eating nutritious food including dairy products and fruits. It is hard to explain the awkwardness and discomfort experienced by women while practicing this custom. Deeply rooted in the orthodoxy of Hinduism, families of this region are still forcing their mothers, daughters, sisters and wives to stay in dark and poorly built sheds to endure freezing cold in winter and sweltering heat in summer, without basic facilities.

Chhaupadi practice violates basic human rights of women, with negative impacts on physical and psychological well-being of the women and girls. The Supreme Court in 2015 had banned Chhaupadi and in 2017, a new law criminalising Chhaupadi came into force. Many government and non-government organisations have launched campaigns to fight this social evil. Many efforts have been made to reduce the practice of Chhaupadi, but they have not produced any tangible outcome. More than one and half dozen women and girls have already lost their lives while staying in Chhaugoth. In January 2019, when Amba Bohora of Bajura and her two sons aged nine and 12 died from smoke inhalation after they made a fire to stay warm in Chhaugoth, the Home Ministry issued an eight-point circular to the local authorities of 19 Chhaupadi-prevalent districts to intensify the drive and strictly enforce the laws that bar the practice.

Following the instruction, local authorities intensified the campaign and also warned to withhold social security payments and deprive locals practicing Chhaupadi of government facilities. Since then, hundreds of the Chhaugoths of the region have been demolished with the support of political leaders, local activists and the district police. However, destroying Chhaugoths and criminalising Chhaupadi has not helped people get rid of their misconception. The drive to demolish Chhaugoths instead has added woes to women in some villages as they are forced to spend their nights under tarpaulin, cowshed and even in cave during their periods. When the campaign was intensified, locals allowed menstruating women to stay home. But once the campaign lost steam, they were again banished from homes.

According to a news report published in this daily, the locals of Budhananda, Triveni and Kanda Jayabageswari of Bajura district have started rebuilding Chhaugoths, because local faith healers are found promoting the practice claiming that not going to the shed during their menses will anger gods and result in sickness and misfortune. Many women and girls of the region wanted to give up the practice knowing it doesn’t fit in the modern world. But they are compelled to follow the custom to show respect to elders and to keep family harmony intact. In this regard, the government should work with short-term, mid-term and long-term action plans to completely root out the practice. Instead of focusing on short-term awareness programmes alone, the local levels must introduce multi-year plans to educate people that menstruation is a natural biological process.