At GiveHer5, we aim to educate and inform people on menstrual health awareness and period poverty, both of which are massive issues in India as well as globally. With a large population not having access to tools, resources and correct information, it is not uncommon to see wrong information, archaic beliefs and draconian thought processes erode fact and reason. Menstruation is a natural process, yet in many places, several superstitions, taboos and myths perpetuate fear and further propagate the need to associate people who bleed with untouchability. In some places, women are not be allowed to touch utensils that are used for cooking food for the entire family and in others, women need to be kept in a secluded space while she bleeds. Sounds ludicrous? It is. But this practice exists in Nepal.
Yes, despite being outlawed by the Nepal Supreme Court in 2005, this practice of sending menstruating women to stay confined in tiny huts is called Chhaupadi, and it is still prevalent in villages that are remote and hard to access. At first, one might not think too much about the dangers of Chhaupadi. After all, menstruating women getting privacy and time to rest may not sound too bad. But what we often fail to register is that these huts are outdoors, where temperatures can be freezing. Last year, a woman aged just 21 was found dead in a ‘period hut’. Though the exact cause of her death was not clear, she was forced to stay isolated in a windowless hut and had lit a fire to keep herself warm. With no ventilation, she could have died from smoke inhalation, dehydration or even hypothermia. Her brother-in-law was held accountable and arrested for forcing her to stay in the hut, despite the practice of Chhaupadi being illegal. Click here to read more about the incident in an article by Forbes.
We find it shocking that women are being forced into isolation and in cases like this, having to sacrifice their lives based on a purely natural bodily function. Misunderstandings surrounding periods are deep-rooted in gender inequality and lack of knowledge on the subject. At GiveHer5, we will be spotlighting some of these superstitions, myths and taboos from societies across the globe on our Instagram feed. Follow us for more and scroll down for some of our previous content.
