LALITPUR, MAY 28

Minister of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Pampha Bhusal today said that menstruation was a mark of a woman's motherhood.

Stating that women had to go through gender discrimination due to lack of awareness, the minister stressed the need for the government at all levels to focus on women's health. She was addressing the concluding event of an awareness bicycle rally organised here by the Expose Nepal on the occasion of the Menstrual Hygiene Day. The Expose Nepal has been working against all sorts of violence against women and in the field of menstrual hygiene since 2007.

'We should honour the biological structure of women. There is need of cooperation among the federal, provincial and local government in women's health. Menstruation is a matter of pride, not a sin and a crime. This is a mark of woman's motherhood.' She also underscored the need for women to use clean, hygienic and reusable sanitary pads during menstruation.

On the occasion, chairperson of the Expose Nepal, Gyan Maharjan viewed that violence against women would be reduced to some extent by ending discrimination against women, especially during their menstruation.

The bicycle rally started from Basantapur and went through various parts of Kathmandu valley before concluding at Durbar Square in Mangalbazaar, Lalitpur. More than 300 professional cyclists participated in the rally. The rally aimed to spread the message that the relation between reuse of sanitary pads and environment friendly bicycles was important in view of human health and clean environment, said the rally organiser.

A version of this article appears in the print on May 29, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.