Kailali’s Tikapur municipality has initiated mobilizing couples noting that a campaign to end discrimination should be initiated from kitchen.
The municipality has come up with the idea so as to increase men’s participation in kitchen or household chores.
In the last two years, the municipality has imparted Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) Champion training to 123 people saying that women’s progress and nutrition status have been adversely affected due to over burden of household chores.
Most of the trainees are married couples and some are school teachers.
The municipality has floated the idea of sensitizing couples on gender equity noting that change starts from own life and home.
The training has brought noticeable behavioural changes in their lives.
Champions have become more responsible for improvements in nutritious behaviour of 1000-day mothers and children.
At Sushma BK’s home in Tikapur, there was a deep-rooted practice that daughter-in-laws dine only after all members of the family. Sushma used to do this in her family.
But now the practice has changed at her home. Now she is served the meal first following an initiative of GESI champions. Once the family members understood that the six-month lactating mother needs more nutrient rich food than other members, Sushma has been provided adequate time for rest.
“I used to take meal only after all family members. Sometimes there used to be insufficient food. It was not possible to prepare again and take the meal. There were many days when I stayed without having meal”, Sushma added.
She went on saying, “These days my spouse and mother-in-law serve me with the meal. Now I am provided with sufficient meal. Even male members of the family are supporting in other households’ chores”.
Likewise, husband of Chandra Regmi of Tikapur Block No. 30 did not support her in a single work at home. Now he is completely changed with his behaviour. “He has started helping me in all chores including child rearing and kitchen works”.
Usha Chaudhary of Tikapur-5 has also stepped up her works in the area of women’s rights, welfare and nutrition of women and new born after attending the GESI training.
Usha shared that she has also convinced her family to start change from home towards ending gender-based discriminations. “Discrimination starts from kitchen so interventions are necessary there for change to happen”.
The municipality has come up with a policy of homestead food production as a source of nutrient rich food as part of its campaign to make every ward nutrition-friendly.
Source : RSS,
