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Challenges faced by communities moving away from Chhaupadi in Far-Western Nepal


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1 Master of Arts in Human Rights and Democratization at Mahidol University, Thailand
 

Chhaupadi is the practice of menstrual hut seclusion in the Far- and Midwestern regions of Nepal that also prescribes a slew of other menstrual restrictions and taboos that constitute human rights violations. Although both the government of Nepal and activists has worked to make Bedkot municipality in Kanchanpur district a Chhaupadi-free municipality, it is unclear what challenges the community has faced as a result of these efforts. This case study used semi-structured interviews with the residents of Ward 1 and 2 of Bedkot municipality to find out what challenges have been faced by those directly affected by anti-Chhaupadi efforts. The findings of this study reveal that Chhaupadi-eradication efforts resulted in emotional distress, loss of property, and social discontent among the residents of these Wards. This study concludes that resorting to “quick fixes” to eradicate deeplyischolar_mained cultural malpractices like Chhaupadi brings about significant harm and dissatisfaction among the affected population. To better bring about sustainable change within communities would thus require concerted and persistent efforts from all parties and stakeholders involved.
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  • N. Raut & S. Tandon, ‘Centuries old Nepal banishment ritual endangers girls and women’, 20 March 1999, Women News Network available at https://womennewsnetwork.net/2011/03/20/nepal-banishment-ritual-girls/ accessed on 21 May 2018.

  • Kamal Dev Bhattarai, ‘Nepal’s Deadly Chhaupadi Custom’, 30 January 2018, The Diplomat available at https://thediplomat.com/2018/01/nepals-deadly-chhaupadi-custom/ accessed on 21 April 2018; Alex Horton & Avi Selk ‘A Nepali teen dies from snakebite after being banished for having her period’, 11 July 2017 ,Stuff available at https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/asia/94596129/a-nepali-teen-dies-from-snakebite-after-being-banished-for-having-her-period accessed on 25 May 2018; Govida KC, ‘15-yr-old dies in Chhaupadi shed’, 19 December 2016, myRepublica available at https://myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/news/11387/ accessed 20 May 2018.

  • S. Khadka & E. Middleto, Kuriti: Suffering for Culture, Society for Humanism (SOCH), Kathmandu, 2014.

  • Yasoda Gautam, ‘Chhaupadi: A Menstrual Taboo in Far Western Nepal’, Journal of Nursing & Healthcare, 2017, pp. 1-4.

  • Ibid.

  • R. Paudel, ‘Nepalese Women’s Struggles in the Era of 2030 Agenda from Dignified Menstruation to Peace and Development’ [PowerPoint presentation]; APWLD (Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law & Development), 3rd Asia Pacific Feminist Forum: ReSisters, PerSisters, Sisters. Chiang Mai, Thailand, 2017 (Unpublished).

  • Nikita Sharma, ‘From Fixity to Fluidity: Menstruation Ritual Change among Hindu Women of Nepalese Origin’, PhD of sociology, University of Colorado Boulder, 2014, p.157, available at https://scholar.colorado.edu/socy_gradetds/1 accessed on 30 January 2018.

  • (Gautam(n 4); Paudel (n 6).

  • Hritika Joshi, ‘Chhaupadi: Till when?’, 1o June 2016, Republica available at: https://myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/news/chhaupadi-till-when/?categoryId=81 accessed on 25 May 2018.

  • AWON (Action Works Nepal), Research report on ‘Miteri Gau - Let’s Live Together Campaign’ to initiate Chhaupadi Free Community in Jumla and Kalikot districts of Karnali, Nepal, 2012 available at: https://issuu.com/awon1/docs/Chhaupadi- jumla-kalikot-2012 accessed on 22 November 2017; Samrat Basyal, ‘How Menstruation is shaping Girls’ Education in Rural Nepal’, JEP: Ejournal of Education Policy, 2016 available at https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1158204.pdf accessed on 16 October 2017; Loren Hyatt, ‘Menstruation matters: How periods are keeping girls out of school in Nepal’, 2015, HuffingtonPost available at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lorenhyatt/menstruation-matters-how-_b_6174442.html accessed on 16 November 2017.

  • Paudel, (n 6).

  • .Basyal, (n 10); Joshi (n 9); M. Mishra, ‘Changing Experience and Interpretation of Menarche by Generation’, Himalayan Journal of Sociology and Anthropology, 2014, pp. 119-133.

  • Pragyan Lamsal, ‘In Nepal, women are still banished to ‘menstrual huts’ during their periods. It’s time to end this dangerous tradition’, 24 May 2017, The Independent available at https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/world-menstrual-hygiene-day-first-hand-account-nepal-menstrual-huts-death-confinement-a7752951.html accessed on 25 December 2017.

  • Patrick Biernacki & Dan Waldorf, ‘Snowball Sampling: Problems and Techniques of Chain Referral Sampling’, Sociological Methods & Research, 1981, pp. 141-163.

  • Robert Yin, Case Study Research: Design and Methods, 3rd edn., Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 2003.

  • All quotations have been paraphrased.

  • Rastriya Samachar Samiti, ‘Campaign to dismantle Chhaupadi sheds launched in Kanchanpur’, 19 December 2017 The Himalayan Times available at: https://thehimalayantimes.com/nepal/campaign-dismantle-Chhaupadi-sheds- launched-kanchanpur/ accessed on 10 June 2018.

  • On Poush 3, or 17 December 2017, an official district-level event was held to officiate this declaration. Based on the retellings of this event, it was a high-level meeting that involved government officials of various levels—all key informants who were government officials (Ward 1 Chairperson, Deputy Mayor of Bedkot municipality, and Deputy Chairperson of Kanchanpur district) attended the event. Bandana Rana, current CEDAW committee member, was the guest of honour who officiated the declaration.

  • The father had recently left the country to work in Dubai and was thus not available to be interviewed.

  • Gautam (n 4).

  • Dipti’s husband is working abroad.

  • See Lokantar, ‘Chau Banna Buharilai Badhyakari chori lai chut’ -5fp aGg a'xf/LnfO{ afWosf/L छोरीलाई छुट), 28 February 2018, Lokantar Samachar avilable at http://lokaantar.com/samachar/36544 accessed on 10 June 2018.

  • Free to the extent that they did not “contaminate” puja and cooking areas.

  • Respondents cited distances between 50-100 meters away from the homes.


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  • Challenges faced by communities moving away from Chhaupadi in Far-Western Nepal

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Authors

Fiona Gui Xiang Wong
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Democratization at Mahidol University, Thailand

Abstract


Chhaupadi is the practice of menstrual hut seclusion in the Far- and Midwestern regions of Nepal that also prescribes a slew of other menstrual restrictions and taboos that constitute human rights violations. Although both the government of Nepal and activists has worked to make Bedkot municipality in Kanchanpur district a Chhaupadi-free municipality, it is unclear what challenges the community has faced as a result of these efforts. This case study used semi-structured interviews with the residents of Ward 1 and 2 of Bedkot municipality to find out what challenges have been faced by those directly affected by anti-Chhaupadi efforts. The findings of this study reveal that Chhaupadi-eradication efforts resulted in emotional distress, loss of property, and social discontent among the residents of these Wards. This study concludes that resorting to “quick fixes” to eradicate deeplyischolar_mained cultural malpractices like Chhaupadi brings about significant harm and dissatisfaction among the affected population. To better bring about sustainable change within communities would thus require concerted and persistent efforts from all parties and stakeholders involved.

References