Why stigma makes periods even more painful
Period stigma and shame can be found everywhere but an extreme form of period shaming called Chhaupadi is stilkl practiced in parts of Nepal.
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Himaya Quasem
Communications team
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Girls like 14-year-old Geeta in Nepal face being banished from home every month when they have their period - an extreme form of period shaming. Photo: Poulomi Basu/ActionAid
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Maria, 66, has performed female genital mutilation (FGM) on more than 100 girls in Kenya. She gave up after going to a talk by ActionAid and learning about the risks to pregnant women. Photo: Ashley Hamer/ActionAid
FGM: The heartbreaking confessions of a former cutter
In the fight to end FGM, Maria’s story shows that change is possible. The 66-year-old cut more than 100 girls in a job that spanned four decades. Yet she knew little about the long term health risks of FGM, which stands for female genital mutilation. That was until she attended a talk by ActionAid. What she discovered horrified her enough to put the blade down forever. It also unlocked a painful secret from her past. Here is her story.
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