However, Menstruation is a natural phenomenon; women and girls do not have the basic right to a dignified menstrual cycle in Nepal. This means that they are subjected to inhumane and degrading treatment, including abuse and violence. Menstruation is often viewed as a time of ‘impurity’ and results in wide ranging discriminatory beliefs and practices those vary according to intersecting factors such as ethnicity, caste, religious beliefs, geographical locations and levels of education. Women and girls are often treated as being untouchable during the menstruation time. The exclusionary practices, stigma and prohibitions surrounding menstruation, inherent in traditional beliefs and cultural heritage practices, have a negative impact on school attendance and employment, preventing women and girls from fully participating in economic and social life. This has become an emerging problem in Nepal. Due to the lack of informed plans, policies and programs, women and girls are not only deprived of human dignity during menstruation, but also social stigma and taboo on their health and education.

We believe education plays a key role in dispelling myths about menstruation and impurity but often people are confined by social- cultural norms that are deeply rooted in society. They are denied their sexual and reproductive rights and such discrimination needs to be challenged.