Although Nepal is coping with the hardship created by  the earthquake, Nepal celebrated the Menstrual Hygiene Day challenging the myths surrounding menstruation.

As Nepalese women have been facing difficulties and trauma, Nepal joined to celebrate the first Menstrual Hygiene Day. It remains to be seen how it can bring changes in the life of the Nepalese women.

According to a study made by WaterAid Nepal, each day 219000 Nepalese women between the age of 15-49 are menstruating. However, the hygienic situation in the schools is pathetic. Globally, each day more than 800 million women between the ages of 15 and 49 are menstruating. Yet menstruation remains a taboo subject. Despite menstruation being a natural process that is part of nearly every girl’s and woman’s life, it is still treated as a taboo in countless cultures and societies across the globe.

Although the priority of Nepal government is to provide access to water and sanitation to all by 2017, there are still huge resource gaps. Overwhelming numbers of public schools do not have separate toilets for female students.

Prepared by Department of Education with the financial support from WaterAid Nepal, WASH Financing in Community Schools of Nepal reveals a grim picture of sanitation facilities in the public schools.

According to the study report, the total number of separate toilets for girls available in community schools is 20,095 against the required 66,801. To reach national standards, it is necessary to build more than 46,700 toilets within 2017 A.D. It means more than 11,000 girl friendly toilets have to be built each year.

Having your period means you're dirty. In far west region, once a month, everything changes for 16-women in Nepal. They have to leave the family home and spend her nights in a tiny shed, where she's at risk of attack.