NEPAL: Despite being criminalised in 2018, an estimated 77% of girls in mid-Western Nepal are still being forced to sleep outside in "menstruation huts" during their period, according to a new study published today in Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters.
All around the world, girls and women suffer from the stigma of menstruation. Nowhere is this more prevalent than in Nepal, where the ancient Hindu tradition of Chhaupadi is routine. The practice involves women sleeping in specially built chhau huts during their menstrual cycle, in order to keep "impurity" out of the home.
Every year, women die in these huts from exposure, animal bites or smoke inhalation after building a fire to stay warm. The tradition was criminalised in 2018, however a new study, published in the journal suggests the practice is still widespread.
In April 2019, researchers led by Dr Melanie Channon at the University of Bath travelled to Karnali Province in mid-Western Nepal. With the help of local NGO, CREHPA, they administered a survey to 400 adolescent girls aged 14-19 from both rural and urban areas. They then conducted further focus groups with both adolescents and women aged 25-45 years, in order to gain a more nuanced understanding of the issues.
The results showed that, despite being criminalised by the Nepali government in late 2018, 77% of girls surveyed still practiced chhaupadi.
Although 60% of the girls surveyed knew it was illegal, the teenagers were just as likely to practice chhaupadi as those who didn't. While girls from urban, wealthier households were less likely to practice the tradition, prevalence was still 66% amongst the wealthiest fifth of the population.
