Shattering Menstrual Shame in Nepal

Singing songs. Hosting debates. Leading interactive quizzes. These are just a few of the creative ways the DfG Nepal team has dreamt up to help shatter stigmas around menstruation in rural Nepal. The traditional practice of Chhaupadi — where girls and women are isolated in small huts during menstruation — continues on in Kalikot district despite being illegal on a national level. While many families recognize the risks of this practice, changing long-held and socially normal practices is not an easy feat.

That’s why the local women leading this charge are perfectly positioned to implement the program. They are using other beautiful cultural practices, such as deudas (traditional songs) to introduce taboo topics around menstruation, and spark vibrant discussions.

Thanks to the support of the GlobalGiving community, The Oda Foundation, and other committed partners, the DfG Nepal team has been able to reach more than 3,923 girls and women so far, and they show no signs of slowing down! And those are just the women and girls that are directly involved in programming. Because so many of their interventions are open to the public, such as the girls’ debate competition, they have been able to indirectly impact more than 2,500 community members. In a place where menstruation has been so silent that women must be banished from their daily lives, the sweet words and melodies of the menstruation-themed deudas are finally shattering through!