Women in Nepal can finally breathe in the sweet smell of gradual emancipation.

Last year, on the 15th of September the Nepal Supreme Court demanded that the custom of shunting women to the cow sheds during their menstrual period as practiced in Western Nepal be done away with.

Recently they ruled that the law where men were given legitimate grounds to seek divorce on the grounds of Infertility be scrapped

While the laws of the land may be slowly working in favor of granting women equal rights, what is of equal importance is bringing awareness amongst the poor villages in Nepal where women are treated as second class citizens.

At the same time, the concept of women being dirty during their periods is a myth that continues to prevail not only in Nepal but also in India too. Women are not supposed to visit their puja rooms, temples, some continue to be barred from entering their kitchens and others while allowed to do all the above (except visiting the temples) continue to believe that they should not touch pickle jars when they are chuming.

These seemingly innocuous myths continue to thrive even amongst the educated urban Indians.

It is to our disadvantage that we, as women buy into these archaic myths of impurity whereas menstrual days are signs of womanhood and should be celebrated with gusto as is done in certain matriarchal cultures where celebrations are held when a young girl starts menstruating.

What is ironical here is that women are shunted for the very mechanism that carries the name of the family forward and despite advances in science many face the wrath for being ‘infertile’ or for producing girls.

And in these two countries where the worship of female deities is popular to treat their human reflection smells of mendacity and cowardice. These shackles of obsolete traditions can only be broken by women themselves, after all there is much truth to the saying – A woman’s is another’s biggest enemy.’

Many women buy into these fallacies and are more strict in the enforcement of these customs and laws than men or conspire along with them.

We need to empower our weaker sisters to say No and to help those in places of power like mothers and mother- in laws empower and support their daughters and daughter in laws.

Whether it be a bold action of visiting the temple while menstruating or not letting the male members switch channels when a sanitary napkin or tampon ad comes we all can bring about a change in thinking bit by bit by being more vocal within our own homes and communities.