Girls speak out on post disaster challenges

"Many people lost their lives and livelihoods during the earthquake. But the adolescent girls and young women faced different types of challenges after the earthquake." said Priya Shah in her presentation during the closing session of a workshop organized by Women Development Society (WODES) at Pharping Secondary High School on 3 Dec 2018. According to Priya, "Girls faced difficulties due to the of lack of sanitary pads during periods. Some girls had to go through sexual harassment and rape." The post-disaster time brought the best and the worst in people. Due to the lack or access to law during this period, criminal activities related to trafficking, sexual harassment and rape skyrocketed. This is made worse by the fact that students were unable to go to schools, which would have protected them to some extent.

Priya feels that she is "fortunate to have Women Development Society to protect her and send her to school, which makes her confident to stand up for the rights of girls and young women."