NA meeting: “Women are unsafe due to chhaupadi system”

KATHMANDU: Lawmakers of the National Assembly (NA) have said that women are insecure because of the Chhaupadi practice.

Lawmakers speaking in the meeting, emphasized that the policy and legal system designed to eradicate the Chhaupadi system should be strictly enforced.

At a special time of the National Assembly meeting today, MP Renu Chand said that Chhaupadi system has brought social distortions and discrimination against women.

He rued that although there are legal and policy provisions regarding the abolition of Chhaupadi system, it has not been implemented.

“During Chhaupadi, people are bitten and killed by snakes while sitting in the shed, some have been raped, they are even not able to go to school”, MP Chand said, “How long will women have to sit in the cave of death like this?” The government should take initiative to eradicate this kind of inhuman system.”

MP Jayantidevi Rai expressed her sorrow over the rape of a 16-year-old girl from Achham district and drew the attention of the Ministry of Home Affairs to this end. “Government should take action to punish the perpetrators and bring justice to the victims”, he said, “Women have to live with violence all the time, women should be allowed to live without discrimination.”

Mentioning that women are being deliberately insulted, MP Rai mentioned that the abolition of Chhaupadi practice is limited to speech only.