Period Kaa Kura- Nepali Podcast

In this episode of Period Kaa Kura, we revisit one of Nepal's longest-running menstrual justice debates: the fight to remove taxes on sanitary pads.
The conversation was reignited recently when Member of Parliament Purushottam Yadav called on the government to remove taxes on sanitary pads, arguing that menstruation is a natural biological process and that products essential to managing it should not be taxed. His remarks have once again raised an important question:
If sanitary pads are a basic necessity, why are menstruators still paying the price?
Last year, Nepal's Supreme Court ordered the government to remove taxes on sanitary pads after a four-year legal battle led by law students and menstrual justice advocates. In Episode 87, No More Tax on Pads. Finally., we explored that landmark decision and what it could mean for menstrual equity in Nepal.
But a court ruling is only the beginning.
How is that decision being implemented? What happens after the headlines fade? And why are advocates still pushing for change?
In this episode, Co-Host Priyanka speaks with Jesselina Rana, founder of Pad2Go and human rights lawyer, and Alina Pandey, legal researcher and menstrual advocate. They discuss the ongoing Raato Kar Maaf Gar campaign, recent meetings with Members of Parliament, the reactions they are hearing from decision-makers, and what it will take to turn years of advocacy into real policy action.
The conversation also reflects on Nepal's newly announced fiscal year budget and what it reveals about the government's priorities when it comes to menstrual health and menstrual justice.
🎧 Listen in, join the conversation, and learn why advocates say the fight is far from over.
Referenced episode:
Episode 87 – No More Tax on Pads. Finally

In this episode, our co-host Priyanka sits down with theatre practitioner from Germany Malin Freytag, along with Nepali artist director Saraswoti Chaudhary and actor Smriti Rai Culmur, to talk about what it really means to bleed… and to say it out loud.

From the Mandala Theatre stage, this conversation moves into real stories of pain, silence, and stigma, showing how menstruation is lived, hidden, and finally spoken out loud.
Not in whispers or just ideas, but through bodies, stories, and presence. This is about breaking period stigma by not just talking, but by daring to be seen.

In this episode of Period Kaa Kura, we unpack how menstruation is shaped by power, policy, stigma, and control, not just biology. In Nepal and beyond, periods are still treated as a private “women’s issue,” while the bigger questions of dignity, access, rights, and justice are pushed aside.
This episode grows from the “Periods Are Political” discussion held during the Mero Mahinawari Hariyo II event in Kathmandu.
This episode is facilitated by Pooja Bista, co-founder of Untold Period Stories , in conversation with Parina Subba Limbu, Founder of Dristi Nepal, the conversation looks at how menstruation connects to human rights, public policy, healthcare, exclusion, and agency.
We also center the realities of those too often left out of mainstream menstrual conversations, including women who use drugs, female sex workers, women living with HIV, and survivors of violence.
Because periods are never just about bleeding. They are also about who gets care, who gets choice, and who gets controlled.

In this powerful episode of Period Kaa Kura, we strip away the political slogans to look at the hard truth of the 2026 General Election. While the Constitution of Nepal envisions a 33% female representation in the halls of power, the reality on the candidates numbers tells a different story of exclusion and systemic bias.
We dive into the numbers that define this election:
The FPTP Gap: Out of 3,484 candidates contesting directly (First-Past-The-Post), only 395 are women, a staggering 11.34%.

The PR Safety Net: In contrast, the Proportional Representation list features 1,772 women (56.5%), revealing how parties often "relegate" menstruators to the background rather than letting them lead on the frontlines.

Major Party Breakdown: We analyze why parties like the Nepali Congress (6.6%), CPN-UML (4.8%), and even the reformist RSP (10.3%) are failing to meet the gender threshold in direct polls.

When 89% of direct candidates are non-menstruators, who is truly representing our reproductive health, menstrual dignity, and our right to live without menstrual discrimination?
Join us as we discuss why the "menstrual voice" is being sidelined and what it means for the future of feminism in Nepal.
Listen now and join the movement to bring the womb and the room together.

If You Don’t Bleed, You Need This Episode
This one is for men and for anyone who has never menstruated but lives alongside someone who does.
In this episode of Period Kaa Kura, we go back to the basics. What actually happens during a menstrual cycle?
What are the follicular phase, ovulation, and luteal phase?
And why does it matter to understand them beyond biology?
We talk about periods in the way many people were never taught at home or in school. Without shame. Without whispers. Without the idea that this is “not your topic.”
This episode is an invitation to listen. To learn. And to question what you think you already know.
Because menstruation is not just a “women’s issue.” And understanding it is not optional.
🎧 Listen now on Period Kaa Kura