“Mirror of Judgment: Breaking the Silence on Body and Identity-Based Bullying in Nepali Society”
Monika SAH In the narrow alleys of our cities and the quiet courtyards of our villages, a silent cruelty often hides beneath laughter, casual jokes, and family conversations. It is the way we judge others—especially young people—based on how they look, how they speak, and how they carry themselves. In Nepal, this has become so common, so […]
Beyond the Stigma: Shifting the Paradigm in Menstrual Health
Preeti Kafle There is a lot of stigma attached to menstruation, although it is a core aspect of reproductive health. For generations, menstruation has been wrapped in secrecy. As a result, girls approaching their first menstruation often feel ashamed, confused, and uninformed. Such an uneasy silence around periods invites harmful myths, impeding young people from making healthy choices. As a Sarathi volunteer with the ‘No Shame to Bleed’ project, I understood […]
A Story We Can’t Ignore: Child Sexual Abuse in Nepal
BY: JASANA “Children Know Better” Story We Heard – The young girl enjoyed watching others play as well as attending school and spending time with her companions. Everything shifted when her trusted relative ,her uncle initiated abusive actions against her which she did not understand. He told her to stay silent. Many young girls suffer in the same way she does. She […]
Cheli
Archana Nepal The word “Cheli” means a lot in Nepali society. What is Cheli? Cheli means a daughter or a girl. She is worshipped here as a goddess. She is respected, loved, and cared for. She is given everything she needs. She is never tortured. She never has to sacrifice anything for others. She can go to work freely without carrying the tension about […]
Digital Health: A New Era
Preeti Kafle Online platforms and digital tools have become integral to our daily lives. From helping us map our routes and track Sajha Yatayat to QR codes replacing cash and apps that monitor our pulse, innovation is transforming the ways we travel, stay informed, and take responsibility for our health and well-being. Additionally, artificial intelligence integrated into these platforms has personalized experiences, promoted more informed decision-making, and […]
Not a Crime, but a Right: Abortion Access in Nepal
Rajon Shrestha Abortion has long been a sensitive and controversial issue in Nepal. Once criminalized, it pushed women to undergo unsafe and life-threatening procedures. Many paid the price not only with legal consequences but with their lives. Before abortion was legalized, it was illegal under the Muluki Ain 2020. Both the women who terminated pregnancies, even in cases of rape or health risks, and those who assisted them could be jailed. As the saying goes “Desperate times call for desperate measures”, many women tried unsafe methods like consuming toxic […]
Abortion is Legal in Nepal
Archana Nepal We have all heard at some point in our lives that abortion is a crime. But is it truly a crime, or is it a myth? Before reaching a conclusion, let me tell you a short story that I experienced a few months back — a story about my friend. I was busy with my studies in the city […]
A lesson from the street: Educated but Unaware
Archana Nepal I was walking down the street today and saw a girl walking slowly and keeping her bag at the back, which could completely cover her skirt. I could notice the people beside her smiling. She looked sad and ashamed. When she passed by me, I couldn’t stop myself from looking at what she was hiding. And the […]
A Feminist Type
Preeti Kafle “Oh, so you’re that feminist type of girl.” time and again we often get a rhetorical question when we try to talk about gender equality and gender roles in our brown household. The term feminist is weaponized by mockery, dismissal, and sarcasm instead of being understood as a long fight for justice and gender equality. Feminism is […]
Early Marriage: A Problem We Must Address
Barsa Shrestha I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the topic of early marriage. It’s something we hear about in the news, in communities, sometimes even in our own neighborhoods. While some people saw it as a tradition or a way to protect girls, the truth is that it causes more harm than good. Early marriage refers to getting married […]