Menstrual Hygiene and awareness has been a major challenge for nepali women especially in the rural areas where there is no access of better health service and infrastructure. Every now and then young girls are sacrificed in the name of the Chhaupadi tradition which has been a major challenge. The Chhaupadi hut is a tradition where women during their menstrual are not allowed to enter the house considering them to be impure and are exiled to Chhaupadi huts to stay for seven days during their menstrual period.
Parbati Budha was found dead in a Chhaupadi hut at Turmakhand Rural Municipality-4 in Achham district. The 18 year old girl died due to snake bite while practicing the Chhaupadi tradition during her menstrual period.
In august 2017, the Nepal government through its parliament has criminalized the practice of chhaupadi as a crime. A law was passed unanimous by the parliament ending the centuries old tradition of chhaupadi. The new law, which will come into effect in a year’s time, stipulates a three-month jail sentence or a 3,000 rupee fine ($30), or both, for anyone forcing a woman to follow the custom. The new law comes in view of the recently tragic death of a Nineteen-year-old girl from western Dailekh district who was reported to have died after being bitten by a poisonous snake while staying in prohibition during her menstrual period under the chhaupadi tradition in a cowshed. It was reported that she was bitten by a snake while she was sleeping in the cowshed.
In 2005 the Nepal’s Supreme Court banned chhaupadi as a human rights violation, but due to its cultural and tradition it is widely in rural parts of Nepal.
The major challenge has been the mentality of people where even people are turning a blind eye to the law.
