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A week ago, Lumbini Province made headlines by being the first province to introduce menstrual leave. While a large number of people, both men and women, congratulated the provincial government for being sensitive toward women’s needs, some critics were too quick to ridicule it. Those in support acknowledged the state’s empathy toward women who undergo physical and mental (still) pain when they have their cycles and that they need accommodative arrangements at the workplace. Those who did not approve the leave considered it was an added luxury for women.

A few days later, similar but stronger voices were heard in India when Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Smriti Irani, spoke against the need for specific policies related to menstruation as she termed it was not a ‘handicap’. The statement resulted in a wider discussion on the topic. Critics gave examples of women in sports who do not have the liberty to take a leave on a match day; some suggested that women could avail normal sick leave instead of a new type of leave. While the supporters of the leave talked about equality in real terms as men and women have different biology and different health needs.

I am neither a human resources expert nor am I an expert on menstrual hygiene, but I am a woman who has undergone this process to give birth to two kids and am familiar with women who experience menstruation-related pain or problems. In fact, numerous studies conducted in Nepal and abroad have shown that girl students are more likely to miss school during their menstrual cycles. To address the issue of this absenteeism, schools started providing free sanitary pads and menstruation health management became a topic of health awareness.

Working women also face problems when their periods start suddenly or suffer from excessive bleeding. In general, menstruating women suffer from cramps, low back pain, fatigue, discomfort and migraine, among others. It is hard for them to give their hundred percent during these days.  Even renowned organizations in Nepal that advertise ‘women-friendly workplaces’ do not provide basic support such as a resting place or access to sanitary pads. It’s a women’s issue and does not affect men so it’s challenging to convince the higher-ups in organizations (mostly men) to make the arrangements for women.

Men do not have to worry if their clothes get stained or if they leave some chairs marked. Women have to! Women have to worry about engorged breasts too if they can’t feed their newborns on time. While the Nepal government has introduced female-friendly workplaces by providing lactation rooms and day care centers, private organizations and non-government organizations are way behind.

Women’s different needs should neither be understood as luxury nor handicapped as Irani put it. It’s just that they are differently built and undergo difficult phases in different stages of their lives. Young girls start menstruating around the age of 10-12. A woman has to deal with this cycle and the discomfort that it brings 48 days or 1.5 months a year. Then during motherhood, a woman’s womb goes through expansion and contractions. The hormonal levels mess up and many face depression. Very important to note here is not everyone is lucky to be a mother as many pregnancies end in miscarriages. Special attention should be provided to those women too. Let us also not forget the special preference for a male child that can lead to sex-selective abortion; the mental trauma associated with these are huge. Women activists and feminists have strong reasons to advocate for women’s rights over their body.

Fortunately, my periods are kinder to me and I don’t go through a lot of pain but I have friends and family members who do. The troubles don’t end even when women begin to experience menopause. Since men do not go through these phases in life, women’s needs must be accommodated in workplaces, one of which can be a paid menstrual leave. If there is a question of productivity or effective performance, there are hundreds of ways to monitor that. 

Thirty-three years since Nepal discarded absolute monarchy and 15 years since Nepal became a federal republic, the country has seen a few events and incidents that bring about regime change alone does not bring prosperity and happiness.

The number of people who showed up at the recent demonstrations led by Durga Prasai is one indicator, traditional political parties losing their popularity is another. People crowding at former king Gyanendra Shah's events cannot be overlooked either. 

When the Maoists started their protest in the 90's, how many people believed that it would eventually uproot monarchy? The then system underestimated the power of the people and a growing desire to see a new Nepal that would embrace a broader sense of freedom and inclusion. Although the revolution was started by the Maoists, people from all walks of life and political parties joined in because of some regressive actions taken by the then king. Failing to gain the confidence of the people and overpowered by the opposing force, the king finally gave up. 

Although positive changes have happened in these years, the ordinary citizens do not feel their expectations of the 'new Nepal' have been met. Almost 8 percent of the Nepali population (as per the 2021 census) live abroad. Reports say more than 3000 people leave the country daily to work in foreign lands. More than 100,000 students left the country in the last year alone for higher studies. Ask any urban student what their plans are and they will share their desire to go abroad. Did we envision this to happen in the new Nepal? 

Leaders sold beautiful promises to the younger generation only to see them leaving the country. But the departure did not happen overnight. They saw the queues at the international airport, outside embassies of foreign countries, manpower agencies, language centers and police departments. They overlooked the indicators. Instead, they kept signing more agreements to send the workforce out of the country. How hard is it for the rulers to understand that lack of jobs and lack of respectable pay are driving people out of the country? Do they fear the void it's going to create in the national workforce? Do they believe the outgoing population would return? Well, I don't think so!

To make matters worse, the same group of political parties and leaders who united to overthrow a regime are going regressive. Freedom of expression is a key right in a democracy and trying to curb that right does not go well. Banning of TikTok is a simple example that shows that the present rulers are not democratic but regressive. This reminds me of the time when king Gyanendra Shah took power in February 2005 and tried to impose censorship in the media. It cost him his throne eventually. 

The rulers of this country must read these signs that have been visible through data and the masses that gather, although infrequently. They must be able to respect people's concerns, create decent employment, and bring tangible changes in order for the people to keep their hopes alive in the country and the democratic system that it has. We have come a long way in the last three decades and going back to an era that does not value freedom of expression will not be beneficial to anyone.

Nepal ranks among the top countries prone to natural disasters. As it sits right above the tectonic plates, occurrence of frequent earthquakes is not unusual. In times of disasters, the main priority is to conduct search and rescue operations to save lives and to provide relief. Those who reach the scenes to rescue people and provide first aid are the first responders. Who should they be? Security forces, community people, humanitarian organizations, volunteers?

There is always a debate about whether or not to reduce the size of the Nepal Army, who usually are amongst the first responders. While some argue that Nepal does not face active war so the size could be reduced for economic reasons, others say they are needed so that they can be deployed in times of emergencies. Friday night's earthquake sent a fresh alert that Nepal has reasons to strengthen its disaster risk reduction efforts.

Humanitarian organizations, most commonly known as I/NGOs, are often seen as dollar-making agencies but in times of crises, they are among the first ones to provide temporary shelter arrangements, items required to manage daily life and food items. They are able to do so as they keep stock of these items to be used in times of disaster. Yet, the perception of them is limited to the understanding of organizations that provide 'software' programs such as awareness on hand-washing, which in itself is a huge need nevertheless, and some people realized the importance during Covid-19.

When the 2015 earthquake hit Nepal, people finally realized that certain organizations that had been raising awareness on what to do in an event of earthquake were not irrelevant and that they were crucial in times of disasters. In one of my field trips to Tatopani of Sindhupalchowk, which was among the worst affected districts by the mega earthquake, I met an elderly single woman whose house was on a steep hill top, far from other houses. She told me that she received relief first distributed by humanitarian organizations. It was a hard-to-reach hill and the woman's house was the sole house on the top. For me, it was an actual example of a catch line used by development organizations—leaving no one behind!

I also recall the safe bathing spaces built specially for women to avoid being harassed or shamed. There were special packages for women too, called the dignity kits consisting of pads and other items required for menstruating women. One can imagine an aftermath of the disaster where people are living in a temporary shelter having such items can provide relief. I also saw how inflatable water storages provided easy access to water in hilly areas.

However, these organizations are expected by the government to mostly provide hardware support such as building  roads and other structures. Raising awareness, sensitizing people, or empowering people do not seem to be convincing to them. People who lose family members and houses might as well lose means of income. Those people need support to help them reach their pre-disaster economic levels. Thus knowledge on financial literacy, challenging gender norms and stereotypes, raising voice for oneself, diversification of livelihoods are vital.

I firmly believe that in a country like Nepal that still faces multiple challenges and vulnerabilities related to natural disasters, climate change, poverty, gender-based violence, superstitions, and inequalities, the presence of humanitarian and development agencies should be appreciated. Additionally, these organizations provide jobs to Nepali and pay tax to the government and contribute to the economy. 

I was just ten years’ old when I decided to become the only vegetarian in my family. Interestingly, no one opposed. I have heard many stories where parents did not permit their kids to be “deprived of animal protein” when they wanted to make that decision. Thankfully, it was not my case. I had a couple of reasons to become a vegetarian.  

In those days, it was a matter of pride for each household to buy at least one live goat for Dashain. As an animal lover, I’d be happy to see goats at our place. I’d pet them despite being frightened by the small but pointed horns. I remember how their voice would change when I'd greet them with a bunch of green leaves. Later, the floor would be all littered with tiny black droppings when they were done eating. 

But my friendship would end on the day of Astami! A large cooking pot would be placed on firewood or stove to boil water. A strong man would show up at our house readying a paste of oil and turmeric and sharpening his Khukuri. Those were enough hints for me to understand that it was the day of slaughter of the poor goat. The goat that was frolicking until the morning would now end up in different forms of meat in the fridge. I could never normalize this idea of eating your own pet. Would anyone think of slaying their puppies or kittens for a variety of meat? And who gives humans the authority to take others' lives? One might argue that it's the nature of the ecosystem but I feel it shows our atrocity over the innocent. I made the decision to stop eating meat. 

I was in grade six then and one day in class, we discussed the poem Paap Laagchha by Laxmi Prasad Devkota. Its lines were simple but very powerful—nachhopnu hai charibari, saraap aansu laagdachha; namaarnu jantu hai kunai, basera kaala jaagdachha—meaning killing birds and animals was a sin and that the sufferings of the animals would haunt you. It was an added inspiration for me to respect everyone’s lives. And then started my journey as a vegetarian. Goat slaughtering at our house was also banned.

So, how has my Dashain been over the past three decades? Well, it’s like anyone else’s except for eating meat. I avoid going to the temples where animal sacrifices are made. I make traditional bottled pickles of overripe cucumber and radish. Instead of meat, I eat cottage cheese or mushrooms for protein. The aroma of guavas are also a reminder of Dashain for me. I play cards with my family, enjoy the bamboo swing, and travel around to see the ripe paddy farms around Kathmandu. Taking a peek every day at the barley seeds sown on the day of Ghatasthapana to see if jamara sprouted or not is another routine for me. Finally, blooming bright marigolds, fragrance of gokul dhup, attempts to fly kites in the blue autumn sky, listening to Dashain music in the mornings, and receiving tika on the main day from elders and counting daskshina at night just like a child give me enough happiness to enjoy Dashain, without eating meat!

To men: Have you done this, knowingly or unknowingly? To women: Has this happened to you?

You were explaining something to somebody and a man next to you—whether your male coworker, husband, father, brother, uncle, a male stranger or any other man—talked over you and started explaining without your permission? Did you feel that it undermined your ability to explain? If yes, you were mansplained! Mansplaining is a new word in the dictionary defined as ‘the explanation of something by a man, typically to a woman, in a manner regarded as condescending or patronizing.’ 

Much of this has happened and is considered normal due to the patriarchal society we live in. A generation still believes that women are subordinate to men and incapable of articulating their ideas, that they are weak and cannot be trusted for making decisions. There are families that consider men as, what I don’t like to call, the ‘head’ of the family. We might have our own experience of fathers being the decision makers in the families, not trusting the mothers’ wisdom or not encouraging them to be a part of it. Think about the impression it left on the children!

Men certainly had better/higher education than women and earned more in the past in our societies and thus the idea of men being the only heroes in the family might have seemed fair. While mothers were portrayed as the compassionate ones, the fathers were shown as more rational, risk takers, and strong willed. Portraying the softer side of the women is fine but it should not lead to the understanding of a weaker gender. 

A close male friend of mine was quick to conclude that the reason for a prolonged traffic jam at an intersection was a female traffic policewoman. I had a good argument with him and asked him not to be so judgmental. He stayed quiet when he saw male officers were also there in the scene. His notion of women managers was based on the idea of perceived gender roles of what women can/should and cannot/should not do.  

I would also like to cite a scene from the recent Hollywood blockbuster, Barbie. When Barbie finds herself in the company that produces Barbie dolls, she wants to meet with the female Chief Executive Officer. She is surprised to learn that there is not a single woman in the senior management team. That is a reflection of many boards of directors and people in leadership who claim to provide a woman-friendly environment but lack inclusive policies themselves. Time to put the money where the mouth is! 

If you see in the animal world, there are plenty of examples of female leadership: Lioness, hyenas, elephants are some of the alpha females. In life under water, killer whales lead their group; male seahorses give birth. And in the insect world, queen bees are powerful. I believe no mansplaining occurs there! In the human world on the other hand, there are incidents of men trying to overpower women. Abduction, rape, murder cases or not giving leadership positions are all examples of showing the quirky idea of ‘manpower’.  

In recent times, however, gender roles are slowly being reversed. Men who would not do the perceived female-only jobs or household chores are doing so. Men attending nurses courses is an example. In my family, my husband cooks and does the cleaning. My sons do their stuff themselves. In doing so, they aren’t helping me but learning to be fit in a new more gender-balanced generation that has women politicians, executives, technicians, and other women professionals. But a lot needs to be said and done at school, workplaces, and the society to break gender stereotypes so that women can put their voice without being mansplained. 

The rush! Sita Dahal, wife of Maoist leader and Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, died two weeks ago. Although people have a mixed opinion about PM Dahal and the armed rebellion he led, they generally sympathize with him because of his family tragedies. Parliamentarian Toshima Karki probably had not realized how her words of condolence could be doctored into a viral content. Many opinion makers, social media influencers as well as news consumers were quick to criticize her without listening to the full audio. Some of them later removed their posts. But, why did they rush in the first place? Would their intelligence be questioned if they were late in the commenting game?

Same incident, different picture: media person Krishna Kandel was so engrossed in showing himself offering prayers to the deceased that he forgot people were watching. Standing before the dead body, he fiddled with the camera his staff was carrying to keep the focus on him, which looked staged. There are others, super brave, who post pictures against the backdrop of people who just died in accidents. The logic probably is to let the world know that they were there. But the digital world has numbed their senses which is why they do not consider the impact those posts can create on the family members. The videos of mistreatment of two women in Manipur, India, is a global example of how perceived bravery can lead to spreading hatred and negativity at catastrophic levels.

There is no question that digital platforms have connected the world. At the same time, it has exposed the dark side too. The Cyber Bureau of Nepal Police, for example, publishes the cases of online child abuse, sexual abuse, harassment, character assassination, identity theft, blackmailing, and other cybercrimes almost on a daily basis.

Open and constructive discussions, whether online or offline, are crucial and are part of a democratic atmosphere. However, social media has made it less decent, harsh, and targeted. We have seen how social media posts by the American President Donald Trump or our own Dharan’s Mayor Harka Sampang turned against them. Trump was banned by Facebook and Twitter. The respect Harka earned as a hard working mayor could dwindle as his arrogance can defeat him. Social media is a means to reach a wider audience, but you have to be courteous and think a number of times before posting anything for public consumption.

If you go to Twitter, most of the people are engulfed in fighting; the language they choose, the reactions they make, and the doggedness they display have reminded me at least to just be the observer. Negativity and hatred have found an easy place to be contagious, and they spread like wildfire. People have all sorts of interest, to make someone popular, to defame someone, to push their vested interests forward, or to advocate for a good cause.

At a time when the internet almost runs in our blood, it can be hard for us to know what is authentic and what is fabricated. In the name of freedom of expression and speech, we seldom watch our words used on social media. The digital footprint that we leave can come back and haunt us just like Harka Sampang’s posts from 2015.

It’s time for critical thinking and critical questioning to take place in every household as a way to promote social media literacy. Gone are the days when we proudly said what population in Nepal had access to the internet; time has come for us to say what population is using the internet safely and responsibly, and what we can do to make it a respectable place for everyone!

Their figures are impressive! Our neighbors China and India are the second and fifth largest economies in the world. Boasting $17.96trn of GDP (World Bank data) with more than 95 percent of its 1.41bn population employed, China could soon conquer the world economically. India may not be too far as it has a present GDP of $3.39trn and has nearly the same population as China. Goldman Sachs Research predicts it could become the world’s second largest economy by 2075.

Lying next to these economic giants, we Nepalis continue to brag about our heritage and culture. If someone said Mount Everest is not in Nepal or that Gautam Buddha was not born in Nepal, it will boil our blood. We can be divided on many fronts but nationalism and national sovereignty brings us all together. We are extremely proud of our history. We were never colonized although our next door neighbor, 22 times larger than us, was! And, we do not like to compare ourselves with them for what they have achieved economically.

Although Nepal is slowly rising from the category of Least Developed Countries to Emerging/Developing category, we have not progressed significantly to catch up with the rising economies, and thus I believe it is time for us to use our nationalistic sentiments to boost our economy. Although the traditional concept of economic nationalism opposes global trade, in this column, I am mostly referring to the literal meaning of economic nationalism.

Let’s take a look at our economic context: Our GDP stands at $40.83bn, of which around 30 percent is said to be contributed by remittances; unemployment rate among the active labor force is around 11 percent. On top of that, our workforce is shrinking with thousands of youths migrating for work and education every day. There are questions and counter-questions on migration. We are getting remittance in return, higher education and better exposure make our people competitive. On the flip side, most of them who go for higher education do not return. And to those who return after getting foreign exposure, what policies are there to ensure they stay here? Lately, media have reported on how difficult it is for Nepali graduates with foreign degrees to get the ‘equivalency’ done, which limits their prospects for getting jobs in the country. Important to note here is also the probability of Nepal’s aging population outnumbering the youth population, which is not healthy for the economy.

Our policymakers have forgotten to highlight nationalism in all of this. Just asking the Nepali population living abroad to return home is not attractive enough for those who have settled in places where jobs of any kind are available, and the countries function in speed and system. It is high time to embed nationalism in the economy, not just to produce skilled forces to work in the international market but to attract them and retain them in the country instead.

Make in Nepal!

India’s Make in India movement has made strides. They have supportive policies to encourage Indian businesses to flourish. They have liberal policies to encourage Foreign Direct Investment as well. Poverty in India has gone down massively—from almost 60 percent of the population living under $2.15 a day in the 1970s to 10 percent in 2019 as per the World Bank data. China’s figures are staggering: More than 70 percent of its population lived below the poverty line in the 1990s by the same measure, which has now come down to 0.1 percent in 2019. Nepal has also made improvements. As per the Multidimensional Poverty Headcount Ratio, 17.4 percent of Nepal’s population was poor in 2019, which was a significant decrease from 39.1 percent in 2011. However, Nepal still faces challenges to create jobs. Different governments at different times created or revised policies to promote employment and encourage the labor force for access to employment. But the everyday crowd of outbound youths at the Tribhuvan International Airport, buildings with billboards for foreign education, and decreasing enrolment for higher studies in Nepali colleges and universities have become our new reality. This could be reversed if we worked on it aggressively. Good examples set by our neighbors can be used for our motivation.

Decent pay instead of labor contracts

When Nepal and the United Kingdom signed an agreement opening doors for Nepali nurses to work in the UK, I was both happy and sad. Happy as there’s a wide income gap between doctors and nurses in Nepal and the prospect for Nepali nurses looked good. On the other hand, it hit me hard as we were unable to keep the skilled resource for us. Furthermore, we do not have the required numbers of doctors and nurses in the country. Nurses in most hospitals and health institutions are underpaid although the cost for studying nursing programs is high. The government should instead focus on ensuring better pay for the nurses so that they can serve in their own country. Where does nationalism stand when signing such labor agreements? Both sides know that the nurses will not return to Nepal. Whose loss is it then?

Looking forward

It’s a good sign that Nepal has started selling electricity to India. The cross-border transmission lines will surely help Nepal reap benefits. However, our ultra-nationalist sentiments were stirred when the Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact was being discussed. Disinformation rose to peak with the rumors of the American Army ready to camp in Nepal indefinitely. Thankfully, the clouds of misinformation cleared and we are building transmission lines jointly with the American support. It’s a good reminder to challenge our shortsightedness and welcome investments or grants from our friends that will benefit our economy.

China is predicted to be the world’s largest economy by 2030 and India to be the second largest economy by 2075. We are geographically located in such an important region. Our policymakers must utilize the strength of our friendship with these countries to strengthen our economy, to create jobs, to produce commodities of comparative advantage, and to invite foreign investment for economic prosperity. We need economic nationalism, literally, to catch up with these aggressively rising economies.

The author is a communications professional