Chhaupadi is a social tradition followed in west part of Nepal by the Hindu women. Under this tradition a women during her menstrual period not allowed to participate in normal family activities. They are restricted from going school, temple, performing daily activities, entering in kitchen, consuming milk products, touch men etc. They were kept outside the house in cattle shed or any separate hut for 13 days during their first period and 5-6 days for rest of their lives. When they stays during their menstrual period in shed they have to sleep in a small thin mat made by straw without bed sheets and blankets. The reason for not providing them bed sheets and blankets is that after those used by them during the menstrual period no one can use it in family. In sheds, they got dry foods, salt, rice only. Data’s shows number of young girls lost their lives in the shed during their menstrual period due to unhygienic condition and lack of nutritious food and few died because of cold as no blankets given to them during their stay in separate shed.
Chhaupadi Partha based on some Hindu religious notion and on superstition. There is superstition of considering the menstrual period as impurity period of women because of this notion there is a believe that if women during her menstrual period consumes milk cow will stop giving milk and if she will read books goddess Saraswati will be angry. Menstrual is just a biological phenomena which makes women physically and psychological weak. It relates to reproduction. We claimed that we are living in 21st century but the traditions like this are proving that we are stone-age. The Chhaupadi pratha is violating the basic human rights of a girls and women. They are not provided with basic human needs. They were also treated as untouchables. CEDAW (Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women) adopted in the year1979 by United Nation Organization, which prohibits all kinds of discrimination against women. Nepal also rectified it in the year of 1991 inspite of that this practice continues in some parts of Nepal. Supreme Court of Nepal in the year of 2005 outlawed this Chhaupadi Pratha. However, the system continues in Nepal even after that. Finally, the Parliament of Nepal in the month of August, 2017 passed a law which criminalizes the menstrual exile with imprisonment upto 3 months or fine of 3000/-.
