Superstitious practice
The Himalayan Times
(30 July 2015)
Superstitious practice
SEWAK Nepal, an NGO, deserves
appreciation for organizing an awareness programme about the adverse effects of
Chhaupadi at Badaipur of Bhimdatta Municipality in Kanchanpur district recently
“Awareness drive against Chhaupadi” (THT, 28 July, Page 6). Despite such
efforts, this practice continues in various areas of far western development
regional districts due to deep rooted tradition and superstition in conservative
societies.
In fact, women need healthy and
nutritious foods and clean environment during this period. However, spending
time in chhaupadi, all these facilities are normally barred making the women
more vulnerable to ill-health. As reported in the past, some innocent women had
even lost their lives while spending three horrible days and nights in
chhaupadi during menstruation period.
Education and awareness campaign
play an important role in completely uprooting this wrong belief from the minds
of the local people. For this, more aggressive non-formal education programme
and awareness campaigns are to be systematically planned and implemented to
bring about positive thoughts among the local people about this ill- practice.
In addition, implementation of women empowerment program mobilizing women group
members can also be an affective programme to chase away this bad practice.
Rai Biren Bangdel
Maharajgunj
