Bajura, December 3

Men have been breaking gender stereotypes by engaging in household chores to extend a helping hand to female members of their families at Bichhayan village of Himali Rural Municipality in Bajura.

Men in the village are marching ahead hand-in-hand with women putting to rest the traditional belief that household chores are women’s duties.

Bichhayan village is five days walk from Bajura’s district headquarters Martadi. It is considered backward in terms of education and economy due to its remoteness. However, the village is emerging as a model village due to the steps taken by men to ensure gender equality. Men in the village do not hesitate to help women with cooking, doing dishes and working in the fields, among other tasks.

Jaidhain Rokaya, a local, helps his wife with all household chores and believes that no work is gender specific. “I go to work with my wife and help her with household chores.” He added that his family members were happy to see him helping his wife with household chores.  Another local Gokul Rokaya said, “I do all the works such as cooking, cleaning, washing and do not think that all household chores are women’s duty.” Gokul’s wife Dhanapati said her workload had reduced after her husband started extending help.

Man Bahadur Bohora, another local, said women in the village had also started taking leadership roles, and both men and women participated equally in various social activities in the village.

“Most of the awareness campaigns are organised under the leadership of females in the village,” Bohora said, adding that the viilage was free of all sorts of discrimination and superstitious beliefs.