Government directed to abolish Chhaupadi practice

Kathmandu / Mar 7:The Women and Social Committee of the Federal Parliament has issued a five-point directive to the Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens for minimizing ill practices and harmful traditions.

The committee issued this directive in its today’s meeting in the presence of Minister for Women, Children and Senior Citizens Thama Maya Thapa and officiating secretary Bir Bahadur Rai.

The meeting’s decision states that directives would be issued to the related ministries and bodies concerned to carry out a detailed study of the existing harmful practices and traditions to prepare a list of such evil practices, to prepare clear action plan and strategy for reducing them and to implement the action plan and strategy.

The committee has decided to instruct the ministry and the related bodies to carry out and have carried out works for abolishing the Chhaupadi practice prevalent in the Sudur Paschim (Far-west) region immediately in collaboration with the local levels in a manner that the results would be achieved within two months.

It also decided to ask the ministry and bodies concerned to implement the on-site study report on the Chhaupadi practice in the far-west prepared by the committee in an effective manner and to submit to it the progress of work in that regard on a monthly basis.

The committee has also directed the ministry and bodies concerned to carry out the assessment of work done by the NGOs working for abolishing these harmful social practices including Chhaupadi and assign a single responsibility and area of work to a particular NGO. The committee has also instructed the ministry to inform it within a week’s time whether or not the next year could be marked as the Year against Harmful Social Practices.

Minister Thapa on the occasion expressed the commitment to prepare the plans for minimizing the ill practices and to implement programmes collaborating with the local level as per the committee’s directive.

Committee president Nirudevi Pal handed over the committee’s report on the on-site study of the Chhaupadi practice in Far-west region to Minister Thapa and urged for its proper implementation.

The meeting also extended best wishes for the successful celebration of the 109th International Women’s Day tomorrow. RSS