Dailekh: Residents in Sihasain of Dailekh are busy in constructing toilet by destroying the cowshed used by women for staying during the monthly period following the tradition of ‘Chhaupadi’. Ending the ‘Chhaupadi’ tradition of keeping menstruating women and girls in a cowshed far from the house, residents of Sihasain VDC-2 have destroyed such 45 cowsheds and constructed toilet there.

As per the tradition, the women in Dailekh have been compelled to stay in cowsheds for eight days during menstruation eating only plain ‘roti’.
Krishna Acharya, a local of Sihasain informed that the villagers have started to construct toilet by destroying ‘Chhaupadi’ cowsheds after Rural Water Resource Management Project supported them in toilet and taps construction in the village. Another local, Jaisara Bika told that many problems in the village have been solved after the project constructed toilets, drinking water and juthelna (place for cleaning dishes and utensils) in all nine wards of the remote Sihasain VDC.

Source: Naya Patrika, June 26, 2009