By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Dec. 13: Menstruating girls in Nepal continue to face restrictions during a host of activities ranging from religious to untouchability and food consumption due to the lack of adequate knowledge on menstruation among the parents and their children alike, a nationwide survey report shows.
The nationwide survey carried out jointly by the Nepal Health Research Council (NHRC) and the World Vision International Nepal, an INGO, have reached that conclusion.
Surveyed among 3,675 adolescent girls (aged 10-19 years), including differently-abled, who had experienced their menarche -- first period -- the study highlights mothers plays the lead role in guiding menstrual management, including the imposer of restrictions during period.
The study “Status of Menstrual Health and Hygiene Management among Adolescents Girls in Nepal” also concluded that Chhaupadi was still in practice in three of seven provinces with Sudurpaschim practicing most.
“Staying and sleeping alone in a livestock shed at night is frightening. Family members can't even find if anything happens to us when we menstruate and it is a major problem,” an adolescent girl from Achham in Sudurpaschim Province said.
Results of the report also reveal that menstrual needs of differently abled adolescent girls are largely neglected. Their needs are related to availability of menstrual material and disabled-friendly WASH beyond home.
Abhilasha Gurung, Health and Nutrition Portfolio Advisor of World Vision International Nepal, said, “Menstrual taboos, inadequate knowledge and poor menstrual health and hygiene management can have detrimental impacts on mental health, which in turn leads to further negative health outcomes among girls and women.”
“So we call upon the government for making deliberate efforts with provincial and local governments for formulating plans, policies and strategies to overcome the gaps in menstrual health and hygiene management directed towards the target group,” said Gurung.
The report also offers recommendations for the government to promote sustainable, low cost, affordable and eco-friendly sanitary materials and its distribution to adolescent girls nationwide and intensify monitoring and supervision of MHM related government programmes, for example - free pad distribution initiative.
It also urges the government to allocate budget to establish girl-friendly schools and take empowerment and engendered approach to capacitate adolescent girls, making them self-concerned and confident to speak up for their own menstrual health needs with everyone at school including male students and teachers.