Some cultural taboos have been so deeply rooted that they have continued to haunt the Nepali society unabated. Chhaupadi is among them. This is a form of menstrual taboo that prohibits Hindu women and girls in several western hilly districts from taking part in regular family activities during menstruation when they are regarded as impure. Because of this, many women and girls are still forced to stay at Chhau Goth (isolated shed) despite massive public awareness against this social evil and its criminalisation. There have been sad incidents that many of the segregated women have lost their lives due to various reasons at those isolated and unhealthy huts. During the summer, some girls die of snakebites and in winter they die of cold. Wildlife attacks are also reported in some areas.

Recently, a Parwati Budha Rawat of Achham district was found dead in a hut lying 100 metres away from her home. She is suspected to have died of smoke suffocation from the fire she had lit to keep herself warm in the shed. In 2005, the Supreme Court (SC) outlawed the practice and the government criminalised it in 2017. As per the law, anyone found guilty of forcing women to follow Chaupadi faces three-month jail sentence or a fine of Rs. 3,000 or both.

As per a news report published in this daily the other day, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoFA) has taken tougher measures to discourage this evil social practice. The MoFA has issued an eight-point circular to the local authorities of 19 districts where the practice is still rampant. The circular comes at a time when the social evil continues to exist in that part of the country. Plans are afoot to enforce the anti-Chhaupadi campaign in stages ranging from creating awareness, demolishing menstruation sheds to depriving those giving continuity to the practice of social incentives they have been receiving from the state coffers. Joint secretary and spokesperson at the MoFA, Kedar Nath Sharma said that the ministry had asked the local authorities to intensify the drive against Chhaupadi in Achham district. It also issued a circular to form a three-member committee to be led by the Chief District Officer in the respective districts. He said that the practice was widely prevalent since people were unaware about the law.

The government plans to utilise the committee for mobilising local leaders, civil society, religious leaders and media to educate people about the anti-Chhaupadi law. Under the community-police partnership programme, the crusade against the social evil will focus on demolishing menstruation huts in the entire region. If the practice continues to be prevalent even after the demolition of such huts, the government will resort to stop providing social incentives to those giving continuity to the practice. This is certainly a welcome initiative geared towards eradicating the taboo. Under this campaign, local community people should also be educated about health and hygiene. The local governments as well as elected people’s representatives have a vital role to play in bringing about changes in the locals’ traditional mind-set. Schools and colleges can also be used as part of the campaign against this social evil.