Himachal's Kullu district begins 2018 by raising awareness about periods
Attacking an age-old tradition, Himachal's Kullu district welcomed the new year by spreading awareness about periods. Several of the state's remote regions still practise chaupadi, which doesn't allow women inside the house and requires them to live in cattle sheds on days they menstruate. The district administration launched a year-long campaign on Monday to end this practice. Read on to know more.
What is chaupadi?
Chaupadi is a popular practice in Nepal, where menstruating women were long considered impure and unlucky and were therefore banished to cattle-sheds once every month. However, Nepal criminalized the misogynistic tradition in August 2017. But the practice is still prevalent in Kullu. According to a district administration survey, in 91 of the 204 panchayats, menstruating women are still forced to live in cattle sheds.
Naari Samman to bust period myths, sensitize locals
Called Naari Samman (women's pride), the campaign began on Monday from Kullu's Naujana village. The district administration will rope in anganvadi and health workers, women groups, temple committees, religious organizations, local theatre artistes and folk groups to destigmatize menstruation and raise awareness among locals. A helpline has also been set up to provide free counselling and health services (doctors, psychiatrists) to women.
The menstruation debate: From taboo to Padman
Menstruation, a taboo topic in India, became a national discussion in 2015 after a temple chief said he would allow only "pure" (not bleeding) women to enter. Sparking nationwide outrage, countless women took to Facebook to say they were #HappyToBleed. Two years and innumerable other protests later, the debate has blown into a feature film, with Akshay Kumar becoming our first homegrown superhero, Padman.
