Chhaupadi” is a poignant short documentary that explores the practice of Chhaupadi prevalent in rural Nepal, where menstruating women and young girls are forced to live in isolated huts or cow sheds due to cultural taboos. This practice stems from deep-rooted cultural beliefs surrounding menstruation and is believed to protect the family from misfortune.
This documentary aims to shed light on the deep-rooted cultural beliefs surrounding “Period Huts” Chhaupadi, its impact on the lives of women and young girls, and the efforts being made to break free from this harmful tradition. The heart of the documentary will focus on the lived experiences of women who have endured Chhaupadi.
Through compelling interviews, the film will highlight the physical and emotional hardships they face while living in remote and primitive sheds during their menstrual cycles.
“Chhaupadi” sheds light on the urgent need to address gender inequality and cultural practices that compromise the safety and dignity of women and girls.
The far-western part of Nepal has always been neglected in terms of infrastructure and development. It is unrecorded in data that hundreds of thousands of women, young girls, and newborn babies have been victims of period huts from ancient times. Far western region particularly, Achham district is often referred to as the worst place in Nepal to be women for all these reasons and more.
It is not just only about period poverty is more about battling with life and death just because they are mensurating they are forced to sleep in cowsheds and mud huts for days.
This is the story and experience of women and young girls who had suffered horrific rape and gender abuse, animal attack and had experienced uncared from their families and their communities while in the period cycle.
One of the things, I felt strongly about making Chhaupadi is that I wanted to make this with authenticity, immersive and organicness. I wanted to make a film that allowed the audience to feel what I felt when I first visited Achham, Nepal. Most important this story represents not only Nepal but a world where an estimated 500 million lack access to menstrual products and adequate facilities.