Kathmandu, March 6: In the meeting of the House of Representatives on Wednesday, the lawmakers discussed on strict implementation of the law and launch of special campaigns from federal to local levels to end chhaupadi system.
Lawmaker Binda Pande presented a proposal at the HoR meeting, making the chhaupadi an issue of public importance. Responding to the queries relating to this ill social tradition, Minister for Women, Children and Senior Citizens, Thammaya Thapa, argued that both the women and men should be equally aware of this system.
The chhaupadi system is so deep-rooted that it is linked to religion and culture and even believed that if menstruating women/girls were not excluded from family, it would be disrespect to God, the Minister said, adding that this ill belief must be wiped out.
According to her, the government was serious and sensitive to this issue and was planning to launch activities against it in collaboration with the local levels and stakeholders.
Presenting the proposal, Pande reminded that the menstruating girls/women and the women giving childbirths especially in the Far West and Karnali Provinces were bearing the brunt of this system based on superstition. They are disrespected and inhumanly treated, she underscored.
She referred to the lax implementation of laws criminalizing Chhaupadi practice despite the fact that many women and girls had lost their lives in course of following the tradition.
Other lawmakers Rangamati Shahi, Nara Bahadur Dhami, Lal Bahadur Thapa, Rekha Sharma, Ganga Chaudhary Sadgauwa, Aasha Kumari BK, Bimala BK, Krishna Bhakta Pokharel, Dibya Mani Rajbhandari, Nawaraj Silwal, Yasoda Gurung Subedi, Uma Regmi, Gopal Bahadur Bam, Ram Kumari Jhakri, Jhapat Bahadur Raut, Mohan Baniya, Narayan Prasad Khatiwada, Ram Bahadur Bista, Sujata Pariyar, Laxmi Pariyar, Renuka Gurung, Nawaraj Raut, Gajendra Bahadur Mahat, Bimala Nepali and Prem Suwal concurred with Pandey saying a civilized society cannot be expected without staying free of such ill practices.
Meanwhile, responding to the issue of temporary teachers raised by lawmakers, Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara drew the attention of the government to it.
