Written by Ayush Joshi and Durga Tiwari 

"I know that menstruation is not a sin, but my mother, my family, even my friends think otherwise. It’s a constant battle to make them understand that some social norms are harmful and negatively impact us," shares Bhagwati, 16. As a member of the local child club, Bhagwati was in awe of her peers speaking like confident leaders, making it seem like anything in the world was possible. "Women and girls in our community hardly speak out because they are told that 'good girls' don't speak in public. That's why I was so inspired to see these girls speak so passionately like leaders in our child club."

In the child club supported by, Save the Children, she and her friends debated harmful social norms, such as 'chaupadi,' and how they negatively impacted them. "In our village, people still follow 'chaupadi,' where girls are forced to stay in a filthy shed during their periods because they are considered impure. The very thought of girls and women being forced to stay outside the house is traumatic. However, this culture is slowly subsiding. Yet, the rumors about menstruation are religiously followed, and challenging these norms feels like challenging the whole society."

Rumors such as the death of cattle and destruction of food crops if touched by a girl or woman during her period have deepened fear in people, leading to stigma and discrimination. "Imagine being told that your cattle will die, or cows will stop giving milk if you touch them during your period. That’s why one shouldn’t drink their milk," she continues. "This rumor haunted me for long. But then, we discussed this in our club, and we started critically thinking that if we can fetch water, gather grass for the cattle, and clean their sheds, then why can't we touch them or drink their milk?"

She started these conversations in the child club and relayed them to her mother, who was too afraid to challenge the existing culture and norms. "One day, during my period, I went to the cowshed, touched the cow, and drank its milk. Then I patiently waited to see what would happen," shares Bhagwati. "Weeks passed by, and nothing happened. The cow was happy, healthy, and continued giving milk." She confronted her mother and told her what she had done. "My mother was shocked, but I told her that from now on, I wasn't going to follow these stereotypical rituals because they no longer made sense."

Bhagwati shares that she has slowly started breaking away from harmful traditional practices that impact the dignity of women and girls. However, she is mindful that social change is a slow process. "I don’t follow these rules anymore, but my mother still practices these norms. It will take time, but I will not stop telling my mother and my friends that these types of harmful cultural practices are not healthy for us girls." 

(Pictures by Durga Tiwari)

Joshi is the Director of Advocacy, Campaigns, Communication and Media at Save the Children.
Tiwari is the Media and Communication Coordinator at Save the Children.