Gulmi,Date, 28,jestha -
Menstruation is the biological process in every women, however it has been regarded as a sin and shame for women in many places and societies of Nepal.
Thus, the women are being victim of different violence and suffering many types of pain. Many girls have been deprived from school as people believe that during women’s period, they should be kept away from the house, they shouldn’t be seen by any male members of their family, they shouldn’t go to the school and shouldn’t touch the books. This kind of belief is quite rampant mainly in Far Western part of Nepal, every family builds CHHAUGOTH (a separate narrow and dark shed away from their house) especially to keep adult women during menstruation. There are many instances of violence and loss of life in such CHHAUGOTH. Suffering from such customs and tradition and realizing other women’s’ problem, a lady from Gulmi District of Nepal personally initiated “Safe Menstruation National Campaign” five years back. Kadka said, “ I started this movement convincing the society that Menstruation is the invaluable blessing of the god to the women and society should celebrate this as a pleasure”. She further added no menstruation means no fertility and ultimately no continuation of mankind , hence this is very important part for the existence of entire mankind. If there is no menstruation to any lady, means either she must be suffering from some diseases or she is incomplete. She Said, “ women should eat healthy foods, nutrient foods and should focus on her neatness and cleanness at the this time”. “Safe menstruation should be guaranteed by the government as a fundamental right of the women and this campaign should be taken to all the village of Nepal” , she demands. Khadka, herself has been travelling to remote villages to propagate the awareness to the school girls. She suggests the young school girls to focus on cleanness of their female genitals, use of sanitary pads, use of clean cloth piece, not to use any medicine to stop their period, to eat healthy foods and consulting nearest health post in case of any problem during menstruations time. Ms. Khadka Says, “I have asked many times the District Education offices and the school administrations to manage Sanitary pads, Soap & Insinuator in female latrines, and one health teacher in every schools”. She further demanded to Ministry of Health to end all kind of taxes to the Sanitary pads so that they would be cheaper for the common and poor girls. Ganga has launched this safe menstruation campaign to 17 schools of Gulmi District and also engaged herself in such activities to other districts like: Surkhet, Baitidi and Palpa. This SMC initiated by a young lady is now working by many organizations in Nepal. She told after I started this campaign, it has been started to celebrate as “international Menstruation Purity Day” in Nepal, what can be the happiest news more than this to the founder of this campaign?, she exclaims with cheerfulness. Recently, Govt. of Nepal decided to remove all kind of taxes to the sanitary pads and created one position of Nurse to every secondary school based on Ganga’s demand and proposal. Ms. Khada told that there has been remarkable increase in girls students attendance in the schools after getting training from her and her team. The girls used to be absent during menstruation days because of shame and being worried of exposure of blood stain. She worries, “I am not being able to maximize the program because of many fiscal limitation although there has been remarkable request to increase CMC awareness classes from the schools and remote villages”. Should there be help to the CMC initiated by Ganga Khadka from all the sectors , the monthly period of the women would be boon for them and Menstruations friendly society would soon be possible.
Photo Caption M Dhungakhani In working women for safe menstruation traning and Sanatary pad distruabit Ms Ganga Khadaka .
