1) What
inspired you to work on Dignified Menstruation?
My work on dignified menstruation is very
organic and very long. Over the three decades experience, working from my
personal, to national and global level, I learned that the menstruation is not
only my issue, or my country's issue. More importantly, I knew that free pads,
clean sheds or knowledge on hygiene do not guarantee the dignity during
menstruation. In other hand, menstrual stigma, taboo and restriction is
underlying cause for violence against girls and women, destroying the peace and
violation of series of human rights. Succinctly, I learned that the menstrual
stigma, taboo and restriction play a crucial role to construct and shape the
power since childhood between girls and boys that is missing by global
community who were/are working for development, human right and feminism. It is
happening everywhere across the globe but the forms and severity vary from
place to place. The global community remained not only silence and biased but
also worked in assumption or misinterpretation at the name of support or
funding. In this circumstance, despite having support, I determined to work for
changing the narratives around menstruation from hygiene to dignity.
2) Who were your first targets and why?
When I enlightened the menstruation as power,
pride and essence for existence of this universe in 1991 at nursing college, my
first target were my parents. I realized
that my parents imposed more than 40 types of restrictions during menstruation
including sending cowshed during the days of 1980, due to ignorance and
socialization. They took many steps as breakthrough against stereotyped practices
but continued the menstrual restrictions due to ignorance.
3) Who
are the person who supported you in your work and how?
As of today, there are very few people,
organizations and networks supported my work dignified menstruation. I struggled
alone at home and aboard for decades. No one like to listen me. I created space
for dignified menstruation while they were invited me as peace maker, author,
activist. I changed the title of my presentations, abstracts and so on. However,
my parents were my best supporters and inspirators who allow me to enter house
without any rituals and scolded during my home returning at first menstruation.
Indeed, I ran away from house for five days during my first period for avoiding
the restrictions as my three sisters and mother. Since 2017, when the Nepal
government started to listen the pledge of dignified menstruation, the journey
is bit easier but there are so many black spots ahead and long way to go.
4) Based on your experience, who should be involved in order to make this campaign a successful one?
Dignified Menstruation is holistic approach in
order to address the negative consequences that arises or associated with complex
and multifaceted menstruation. Dignified menstruation also applies throughout
the life from womb to tomb even after deaths for some cultures. In this connection,
need to involve different stakeholders at various levels. However, in such
complexity, the leadership of government is essential and important for
achieving overarching goal of dignified menstruation as well as harmonization
of other stakeholders towards the goal of dignified menstruation.
5) As a campaign leader, you are working for women and their issues. People can say that you are working only for females which is not complete as almost 50% i.e. males are not covered by this campaign. What would be your response and why?
This is absolutely wrong. You are charging me
without knowing the gravity of my work. I am deeply hurt. Could you give me the
evidences? I am the person who work with boys and men since 2001 for same since
Jumla where the Nepal government or others even do not think about it. I
presented papers in many global forums about the best practices of men engagement.
I am certified the International resource person for engaging men since 2014. There
are so many champions across the country, they awarded by national and
international awards as well. Engaging boys and men are my one strategy as
always. Because of that strategy, feminist organizations denied to fund with
us.
6) You have spent such a long time continuously in this campaign, what do you think you have achieved so far?
I do not achieve yet. The dignified
menstruation is under big threats as like me inside and outside of the country.
I am still learning to understand the people, organization and menstruation
itself. I am very clear that I have to struggle more for dignified menstruation
and continue my battel till my last breath. Myself and my dedicated fans/team
members would have struggled much. Because I experienced deep level of
ignorance and resistance from the people who supposed to support or allies.
7) What would you have lost if you hadn’t been involved in this campaign?
Since the age of six, I have experienced
discrimination against girls and women (myself, sisters and mother) and the
menstrual blood further traumatized me and brought me the decision for
committing suicide at the age of nine. Since childhood, I am rebellion for gender
justice. I quit my luxury jobs and privileges for the sake of dignified
menstruation in a way and the other round. In other words, I faded up with
double standards activists, supervisors and so on. People cheated me in many
ways. In my life, I see only two options, either do or die. So, I could dismiss
myself if I unable to live with dignity.
8) What are the major challenges for this campaign and how have you been facing those challenges?
Dignified menstruation, is evolved from my personal
pain and passion indeed. I invested my life, I learned and I keep trying to
give shape for global campaign without any funding and resources. Thus, it is completely
indigestible for the friends inside and outside of Nepal. They considered me as
insane. In my course of dignified menstruation journey, I experienced
everything including death threats, physical attacks, blaming, exclusion, medialization
(use media) etc. Often my team members also experienced such challenges
indirectly. More importantly, I was more challenged or threatened by the educated
people, big or rich NGOs in many ways. I always remained firm. I know my
limitation. I do not have job, house, car, coming and working for rural community
but I have pain, passion, commitment, integrity. I am still alive with smiles.
9) What message would you like to give to other members who have been working for this campaign?
My message to all readers for joining campaign
of dignified menstruation is transform first before teach others, hold
accountable first before pointing other and do not join this campaign for
project and popularity. Please do not play with menstrual blood.
This is the interview given to DWD
