Summary:

Ms. Dev Devi B.K. from Pahalmanpur VDC, Ward no. 1, is working as HR activist through RDN in Kailali District has been successful to destroy Chhaupadi Hut in their area. Women from Pahalmanpur were compelled to live in Chhaupadi Hut from their home and were not allowed to touch anyone during menstruation. Dev Devi says, “During menstruation women are not allowed to touch anything and anyone. They have to live separately in Chhaupadi Hut and are not allowed to consume yoghurt, milk, ghee. It is said that god would be angry, if women consume milk products during menstruation.” This custom has been followed by community people since decades. In that time, Dev Devi started working as a HR activist in that area. As a HR activist, she involved in various trainings, workshops, campaigns and programs through which she became aware regarding human right condition in her village and about her duties and responsibilities. Women who were compelled to stay in Chhaupadi were often at risk of being raped and attack of poisonous and wild animals. She realized that this is extreme form of HR violation regarding women. She advocated every woman in her area about the human right for everyone in all situations. After that, her two neighbors Jhupa B.K. and Ishwori Saud removed their Chhaupadi Hut. Initiation of Dev Devi has led to initiate destroying Chhaupadi in her home as well as in her neighborhood. Now, she is able to consume milk and milk products during menstruation and allowed to stay inside their home. She says, “This is just initiation, we have a lot to do to ensure HR in all situation of every individual of our community.”

Challenges:

Modernization has taken leap in today’s world. But in our country, we have to shed behind traditional customs which has been dragging us behind. Chhaupadi has been regarded as one of the serious HR violation in Pahalmanpur VDC where they are not safe in their own home too. They had been deprived of nutritious food and were unsafe during menstruation from physical, mental and social wellbeing. 

Initiative:

RDN has selected three HR activists in each ward among the seven project VDCs. Among them, Dev Devi was one from the mass who thought to initiate from her own home and neighborhood for discarding deep rooted customs and traditions. After she got chance to involve in various programs, workshop and trainings through RDN, she developed and boosted her confidence in fighting against any form of HR violations in her community.  She destroyed her Chhaupadi Hut and encouraged her neighborhood to do so. Along with her, two of her neighbors were inspired from her and initiated against this orthodox tradition. Dev Devi B.K. and her neighbors aspire to bring change in their community ensuring human rights for all in all situation.

Results:

Chhaupadi is regarded as traditional customs and is being practiced in far western region of Nepal. They need more care, support physically and mentally during this period but in Pahalmanpur VDC, women are compelled to stay in Chhaupadi Hut. Now, Dev Devi B.K. has been sensitized about HR and CBD&U issues through workshop, training and various programs. She initiated to fight against this social tradition and started from her own inspiring her neighborhood. She is determined to eliminate this tradition from her area sensitizing more women in her area through advocacy and sharing in different forums where she represents. During monitoring in that area, five more Chhaupadi Huts were found destroyed. This has provided positive message in community people and improved lifestyle of women residing in the area.