Menstrual Restriction Practice and its impact on Peace, Human Right, Empowerment and SDGs in Nepal CEDAW committer Pre-session shared with IWRAW

Menstrual Restriction Practice and its impact on Peace, Human Right, Empowerment and SDGs in Nepal

                                                                Prepared by Radha Paudel Foundation

Prevalence of the Problem:

Almost Nepalese families are following more than 40 types restrictions during period regardless of caste, class, education, region, region where menstrual blood, menstrual girls/women and their belongings are considered untouchability, dirty, impurity, bad luck[1]. The word of Chhaupadi is being called to the practice of visual segregation during menstruation but segregation is continuing everywhere as invisible form. Consequently, girls/women are deprived from the rights as provisioned by Constitution 2015 includes dignity (article 16), freedom (article 17), equality (article 18), discrimination, contamination (article 24), healthy environment (article 30), education (article 31), health (article 35), food (article 36), house (article 37), women (article 38). It is continued from centuries due to ignorance, poor mindset, gender, poverty, unavailability of sanitary products, toilets[2] (only 37% toilets coverage) with water supply and poor research and policy attention. Thus, girls/women have been facing immediate and long-term problems related with reproductive and urinary systems, psychosocial wellbeing, education, employment, child or early marriage, participation, and often encountered with rape, sexual abuse, murder, snake and wild animal bite, death due to extreme hot or cold, suffocation etc. In June-July 2017, 14 years and 19 years young girls died due to snake bite at cowshed during period. Therefore, the menstruation is serious issue of dignity and human right which is beyond hygiene and infrastructure.

Miteri: What it means to me -Trina Bhattarai

The philosophy of Miteri emphasizes on living together harmoniously and mindfully. Radha Paudel, activist and author, pieced the philosophy together after surviving the trauma of Jumla attack in 2001 and while volunteering in the region afterwards. According to her, “Miteri is an ancient indigenous practice across Nepal regardless of caste, class, region, religion where mutual love and respect operate beyond blood and marriage relationship for the goal of living in togetherness. The birthplace and situation of an individual is not by choice. Miteri is a proven tool for peace and justice by connecting people from various strata and levels, reflecting and rethinking the deeds in past and encourage people to seek the reason of being born as human being in this wonderful world.”Jumla is a wonderful place to realize the meaning of Miteri– the life-style, the people and scenery all allow a person to ponder not only one’s existence but also existing among others. Or so was my experience.

Norvic Hospital's mis surgery: right knee instead of left

नर्भिकले निम्त्याएको निस्पटता

तिनग्टिंग....... तिनटिंग .......  आबाज आयो 

बाहिर  थिए, 

दौडिएर   भित्र गए ।  

मलाई फोन मिस गर्न मन थिएन तर जे लुगा लगाएको थिए त्यसमा गोजी थिएन ।  त्यसैले फोन घरभित्र र बाहिर  जताबाट पनि सुनिने र् टिप्न मिल्ने गरी झ्यालमा राखेको थिए ।  

घरमा ८१ बर्षको  बा भित्र पल्टिरहनु भएको थियो ।  घरिघरि सोद्यै हुनुहुन्थ्यो किन तीन घण्टा लाग्यो होला  हगी ? भाई बहिनीले डाक्टरसँग कुरा गरे होलान नि ? 

बिचमा बेहोस् गर्ने डाक्टर आएर भनेका थिए रे धेरै च्यातिएको  रहेछ, त्यसैले ढिलो भो मैले जबाफ दिए | 

मैले बेहोस् गराउने काम २०५१ -२०५५ सम्म गरेकोले मेरो परिवार केही बुझ्छ र सहयोगिको भूमिका  पनि खेल्न कोशीस गर्छ ।