The most comprehensive compilation of information on the status of
women in the world.

Latest items for SMPP-PRACTICE-1

Sept. 6, 2024, 10:07 a.m.
Countries: Cameroon
Variables: SMPP-PRACTICE-1

“Hospital workers say obstetric fistula is a hole between the birth canal and bladder or rectum, caused by prolonged, obstructed labor without access to timely, high-quality medical treatment. The disease leaves women and girls leaking urine, feces or both, and often leads to chronic medical problems, depression, social isolation and deepening poverty, medical staff members say…Debong said she is urging parents, husbands, clerics, community leaders and traditional rulers to educate others that obstetric fistula is not a curse or divine punishment for wrongdoing. She said she wants communities to encourage women who have gone into hiding due to the disease to seek treatment…Many sufferers are accused of witchcraft and abandoned...more
Feb. 24, 2023, 12:54 p.m.
Countries: Nepal
Variables: SMPP-PRACTICE-1

"The GoN has adopted the following measures to eradicate all harmful practices: (a) Persuading changes in people’s attitude and community practices through Behaviour Change Communication (BCC); (b) Criminalization of all forms of harmful traditional practices against women and girls; (c) Launching awareness raising campaigns against harmful practices such as Chhaupadi, child marriage, dowry system and allegations of witchcraft..." (7). "The GoN, in collaboration with civil society organizations, is also running campaign against dowry, witchcraft allegation, Chhaupadi, and child and forced marriages all over the country. The GoN, in line with the order of the Supreme Court of Nepal in 2005, has issued directives to eradicate Chhaupadi practices, mostly prevailing in...more
Dec. 17, 2022, 10:28 p.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: SMPP-PRACTICE-1

"[B]reastfeeding mums feel they need to hide away [from the public in this modern era]" (para 22). Breastfeeding is an activity of post-partum women. This suggests that there is a norm of having post-partum women be secluded from the public (MV - coder comment).
Jan. 6, 2022, 12:09 p.m.
Countries: Somalia
Variables: SMPP-PRACTICE-1

"No social or religious customs that require women to seclude themselves from society during menstruation, however Young women may not go to school because of menustration to avoid being asked why she is not praying or why she is using the restroom more often" (1).
June 25, 2021, 9:03 p.m.
Countries: India
Variables: SMPP-PRACTICE-1

"In India, periods have long been a taboo, with menstruating women considered impure and forced to live under severe restrictions. They are barred from social and religious functions and denied entry into temples, shrines and even kitchens" (Para 3). "All the women in Tukum - and neighbouring villages - I spoke to said they didn't want to go to the period hut, that the lack of facilities sometimes made them angry, but added that they felt powerless to change a practice steeped in centuries of tradition. Surekha Halami said she feared that if they defied tradition, they would face the wrath of gods and invite illness and death in the...more
Feb. 10, 2021, 1:09 a.m.
Countries: Nepal
Variables: SMPP-PRACTICE-1

"'I began that project documenting the practice of Chhaupadi [the isolation of women from normal family activities while they are menstruating] in Nepal, and through this project, I came to know and understand more about the child widows. The stories of widows and the hardships they face is well-known, but particularly extreme'" (para 17).
Nov. 24, 2020, 3:42 p.m.
Countries: Nepal
Variables: SMPP-PRACTICE-1

“It is easy to be cynical about recent reports of actions taken to end chhaupadi, the traditional practice in parts of western Nepal of segregating menstruating women. Since December, hundreds of the chhau sheds where women live during their periods have been demolished after the Home Ministry ordered district officials to strictly enforce laws that bar the practice. Local officials have warned they will withhold social security payments to anyone found to be involved in the practice of menstrual banishment” (para 1-2). “Many activists say that chhaupadi is just the most extreme form of the menstrual segregation that occurs throughout Nepal among women of all socio-economic groups, in rural and...more
Nov. 18, 2020, 2 p.m.
Countries: Nepal
Variables: SMPP-PRACTICE-1, MARR-PRACTICE-5, AOM-PRACTICE-1, WR-PRACTICE-2, ISSA-PRACTICE-1, PW-PRACTICE-3

"It is also concerned about the persistence of harmful traditional practices in the State party, such as child marriage, the dowry system, son preference, polygamy, widows accused of witchcraft, and such practices as c haupadi, j huma, d euki and d han- k haane" (Article 17). Chhaupadi is a form of menstrual taboo which prohibits Hindu women and girls from participating in normal family activities while menstruating, as they are considered impure. (CM - CODER COMMENT)
Sept. 28, 2020, 6:26 p.m.
Countries: Nepal
Variables: SMPP-PRACTICE-1

"The first time I heard the word 'chhaupadi', I was standing on a rooftop in Surkhet, Nepal, in November 2017, surrounded by teenage girls…Some of the girls had asked to meet with us after school to talk about their lives; we'd barely finished with introductions when one tearfully told us she'd been banished from her home and made to sleep in a cow shed when she began menstruating. This is the way it was for many girls and women in Nepal, we learned, as the other girls told us their stories" (para 1). "Not all were made to practice the chhaupadi in the strictest form. Some were allowed to stay...more
June 22, 2020, 7:56 p.m.
Countries: Afghanistan
Variables: SMPP-PRACTICE-1

"Women subject to this system of social control are sometimes subject to institutionalised seclusion, severe restrictions on movement and strict division of gender roles assigning the public sphere to men and the private sphere to women" (pg 2). "It is, however, important to recognise that, at least in theory, this system of control is framed as a mutual set of rights and obligations, whereby Afghan men are expected to provide for the entire family and treat women in an appropriate fashion, and there is scope for women to wield a degree of influence within the domestic sphere" (pg 2).
May 31, 2020, 6:36 p.m.
Countries: India
Variables: SMPP-PRACTICE-1

"In India, 42 percent use sanitary napkins, 62 percent use cloth, and 16 percent use locally prepared napkins. Overall, 58 percent of women in this age group use a hygienic method of menstrual protection" (82).
July 19, 2019, 12:22 p.m.
Countries: Nepal
Variables: SMPP-PRACTICE-1, SMPP-LAW-1

"The practice of 'chhaupadi' (expelling women and girls from their homes during menstruation and sometimes following childbirth, including forcing women and girls to reside in cattle sheds) continued to be a serious problem. Chhaupadi persists despite a 2005 Supreme Court decision outlawing the practice and guidelines on eliminating it issued in 2008 by the Ministry of Women, Children, and Social Welfare. The new criminal code adopted in August formally criminalizes the practice by stipulating a punishment of up to three months’ imprisonment, a maximum fine of NRs 3,000 ($30), or both" (Pg 27).
April 30, 2019, 5:20 p.m.
Countries: Nepal
Variables: SMPP-PRACTICE-1

"My ongoing research, as well as research carried out by WaterAid, shows that menstruation-related taboos and restrictions prevent girls across South Asia from attaining educational success. For instance, nearly 90 percent of girls in Nepal are still forced to observe restrictions on mobility or face social exclusion during menstruation, and as a result, many girls miss school for about a week during first menstruation and about 3 to 4 days in subsequent menstrual periods. Every month, girls are faced with multiple discriminatory practices by their families and communities." (para 4). "Restrictions and obstacles related to menstruation in Nepal:... a) Isolation from the family: usually, relegation to neighbor’s house during first...more
Jan. 31, 2019, 7:34 p.m.
Countries: Nepal
Variables: SMPP-PRACTICE-1

"A woman and her two sons died in a freezing hut in a remote Nepalese village after the mother was exiled during her period" (para 1). "The mother was forced into the hut during her period under the Hindu custom of Chhaupadi which deems women to be 'impure,' for its duration" (para 4). "Many menstruating women are still forced to leave their homes and take shelter in unhygienic or insecure huts or cow sheds until their cycle ends. During their period women are not allowed to enter the temple, use kitchen utensils or wash in communal areas, SBS reported. The custom continues in many parts of the majority Hindu Himalayan...more
Jan. 8, 2019, 3:59 p.m.
Countries: Kenya
Variables: SMPP-PRACTICE-1

"This prevents girls from participating and attending school because they feel ashamed or 'unclean'. There are many instances where girls drop out of school once they start their periods. Staying at home and being out of education leaves them even more vulnerable to violations of their rights such as child marriage" (para 7).
Jan. 8, 2019, 3:48 p.m.
Countries: Nepal
Variables: SMPP-PRACTICE-1

"Many communities in Nepal view menstruation as 'impure,' deeming women 'untouchable' when they have their period. As a result, families force women and girls to sleep in huts away from their homes when they menstruate, a custom known as chhaupadi. Women and girls are not only banished from the home, but are also barred from touching food, religious icons, cattle and men. The ancient Hindu practice has been in place for centuries in Nepal, as well as parts of India and Bangladesh" (para 2-4). "The Supreme Court ruled against the tradition in 2005, but it has continued to flourish, predominantly in Nepal’s mid- and far-western regions, where it is estimated...more
Nov. 16, 2018, 9:46 a.m.
Countries: Burma/Myanmar
Variables: SMPP-PRACTICE-1

"The traditional Buddhist practice of Hgay-toe-boe proscribes women from participating in village life and in Karenni State menstruating girls are sent to live in a hut set apart from the village so that she does not pollute the village" (page 7). "Karenni communities who practice the Hgay-toe-boe Buddhist tradition have a set of restrictive “do and don’t” practices for menstruating women. This is the practice that has existed for many generations and violations cause loss of self-confidence, discrimination and blame from the community. When menstruating, Karenni women are not allowed to: offer flowers to the Buddha’s shrine, offer meals, sit in the front in the monastery, cook rice wine (because...more
Oct. 28, 2018, 7:56 p.m.
Countries: Uganda
Variables: SMPP-PRACTICE-1

"They drop out of school when pregnant but school is already difficult when they are hassled on the way there and when they are menstruating. Without school, options are limited and the cycle of poverty continues. Maternal malnutrition, complications surrounding birth and abortion are all present" (para 11).
Sept. 13, 2018, 8:20 a.m.
Countries: Nepal
Variables: SMPP-PRACTICE-1

"In this corner of Nepal, deep in the Himalayas, women are banished from their homes every month when they get their period. They are considered polluted, even toxic, and an oppressive regime has evolved around this taboo, including the construction of a separate hut for menstruating women to sleep in. Some of the spaces are as tiny as a closet, walls made of mud or rock, basically menstruation foxholes... Each year, at least one woman or girl — often more — dies in these huts, from exposure to the cold, smoke inhalation or attacks by animals" (para. 4 - 5). "The practice is called chhaupadi (pronounced CHOW-pa-dee), from Nepali words...more
Sept. 4, 2018, 10:26 a.m.
Countries: Nepal
Variables: SMPP-PRACTICE-1

"The practice of chhaupadi (expelling women from their homes during menstruation and sometimes following childbirth, including forcing women to reside in cattle sheds) continued to be a serious problem. The practice puts adolescent girls, women, and infants who are expelled with their mothers at risk of exposure to extreme elements, predators, and infection. The most recent Nepal Multi-Index Survey in 2010 reported that while 19 percent of women between the ages of 15 and 49 nationwide practiced chhaupadi, the problem was particularly acute in the hilly regions in the country’s mid- and far-west, where approximately 50 percent of women followed the practice. Women in Kathmandu also reported being forced to...more
Feb. 28, 2018, 5:36 p.m.
Countries: Kenya
Variables: SMPP-PRACTICE-1

"The Government has set aside funds to provide sanitary towels for girls in poor and marginalized areas as the lack of sanitary towels among poor girls was identified as one of the obstacles to girl child education since such girls would be forced to stay away from school during their monthly periods" (14).
Dec. 5, 2017, 12:54 p.m.
Countries: Nepal
Variables: DACH-PRACTICE-1, SMPP-PRACTICE-1, IIP-PRACTICE-1, AFE-PRACTICE-1, AFE-DATA-1

"Another approach [to support formal education for girls], equally successful, was the distribution of menstrual 'cups' to adolescent girls in Nepal under the Menstruation and Education in Nepal Project. Such cups—small reusable silicone receptacles that can be inserted in the vaginal canal to collect menstrual blood and emptied after a period of 12 hours—are discreet. They facilitate the mobility of young women and allow school attendance during menstruation (Oster and Thornton 2009)"(49)
Dec. 5, 2017, 10:52 a.m.
Countries: Afghanistan
Variables: SMPP-PRACTICE-1

"Take-home rations for pupils can be particularly effective in improving girls’ school enrollment. This strategy was used in Afghanistan, where the gender parity index (the enrollment of girls in schools as compared to boys) remains very low, at 0.35 in 2008 (WFP 2012, p. 32). There has been significant improvement since the overthrow of the Taliban in 2001, but cultural and religious norms, lack of separate sanitation facilities, and security concerns continue to have strong effects"(62). Lack of separate sanitation facilities could be a barrier for girls to attend school while menstruating (ENB-Coder Comment)
Nov. 29, 2017, 10:09 a.m.
Countries: Bangladesh
Variables: SMPP-PRACTICE-1, IIP-PRACTICE-1

"However, an obstacle commonly faced in girls’ school enrollment is the absence of adequate sanitation facilities in schools. In Bangladesh, due to concerns that the absence of separate facilities for girls might be an obstacle to the success of the FSSAP mentioned earlier—particularly for adolescent girls who may prefer to avoid school attendance during menstruation—about 5,000 latrines and tubewells were built in schools taking part in the program. This appears to have been a major factor in attracting and retaining girls’ attendance"(49)
Aug. 21, 2017, 8:31 p.m.
Countries: India
Variables: SMPP-PRACTICE-1

“The Sabarimala temple is one of a few in India which bars entry to women aged between 10 and 50 years old, saying that menstruating women are impure. Discrimination against menstruating women is common in some parts of south Asia, where they are forbidden from entering houses or temples and taking part in festivals and community events” (para 5).
Aug. 11, 2017, 10:32 a.m.
Countries: Nepal
Variables: SMPP-PRACTICE-1

"'Today, it was 12 days of my child delivery. I am living in this shed since child delivery. I am here because myself and my baby is not allow to touch by family members at home. I am not living in this cowshed during menstruation and childbirth, but also all women members from my family are living here. My maternal house is in Humla, all women live in cowshed like this. I have already delivered five babies. I stayed a month here in cowshed during all childbirth. Here, the family members served food for only ten days then I am cooking myself. My two babies closed with god already. This...more
Aug. 8, 2017, 2:57 p.m.
Countries: China
Variables: SMPP-PRACTICE-1

"According to the announcement, female workers in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region can take paid leave for one or two days if they are unable to carry out their work due to heavy menstruation or severe period pain. In such cases, they are required to obtain a medical certificate to prove their condition.So far, over 10 Chinese provinces have issued similar relevant documents, granting female workers special rights.However, as more and more provinces adopt the rules over paid leave, many commentators have expressed worries that the policies may come to nothing due to great difficulties in implementing the idea in practice"(para 2-4)."Reality shows little optimism for the implementation of...more
July 17, 2017, 8:05 p.m.
Countries: India
Variables: SMPP-PRACTICE-1

¨Even holy places — temples and mosques — it seems aren’t free from discriminating against the fair sex.The country has lately been in the grip of a nationwide furore over a few renowned temples banning women’s entry into their sanctum sanctorum. The reason given for the perpetration of such sexism is as flimsy as it’s regressive — women menstruate and are therefore `impure’ and unfit to enter shrines¨(para 1-2).However, unlike earlier, when such inequities would be par for the course, and taken by women in their stride, the ladies are now giving it back good by challenging ossified conventions and confronting their tormentors. Unprecedented statements like `menstruation is neither unclean...more
April 15, 2017, 6:49 p.m.
Countries: Malawi
Variables: SMPP-PRACTICE-1

"Most girls here can’t afford disposable pads — they use unhygienic cloths, or leaves. Many stay away from school when they have their period. Often, this leads to drop-out" (7).
Feb. 1, 2017, 6:40 p.m.
Countries: India
Variables: SMPP-PRACTICE-1

"Much of what they learned in the village must be unlearned here. One evening when Baby begins preparing dinner, several of her roommates protest. She is menstruating, and caste tradition dictates that menstruating women must live in isolation, sleeping alone and taking care not to step into the kitchen, lest they contaminate the food and water. So two of the younger roommates cook, emerging an hour later with a glutinous, inedible glop. At this point, Baby is irritated. Menstruating women are allowed to work in the factory, aren’t they? She walks into the kitchen, and the scent of spices and onions fills the room. After a brief discussion, they agree...more