Nepal – Red Tika Challenge, in Solidarity with Widows, Gets High Internet Response

Lily Thapa, Founder of Women for Human Rights, Nepal

Kathmandu, February 20, 2017 – Taking Nepal’s social media by storm is the Tika Challenge wherein women are posting pictures of themselves, wearing red clothes, to stand in solidarity with widows.

The Facebook challenge to bring down the stigma associated with widows, who have to dress only in white after their husband’s death, has gained a lot of traction among young women in the last ten days.

With more than 60,000 youths taking up the challenge, Lily Thapa, the founder of Women for Human Rights, is overwhelmed by the response. The color red symbolizes passion and life so our culture prohibits widows from wearing anything red.

“Women are forced to wear only white attire, which I believe takes a toll on their beauty. So, the main aim of this campaign is to change that mentality, says Lily. Kicking off the challenge.” Thapa herself shared her picture on Facebook in a red salwar kameez, asking people to join in, If you are with me and with all single women (widows), please participate by wearing a red tika and share your picture with the hashtag #redtikachallenge

According to the latest census, six per cent of women in Nepal are widows.

Uma Thapa, communication officer of WHR and a widow, says, “We’ve been facing a lot of discrimination in society. So this is the time to break those notions and pave the way for the younger generation to live free from these primitive rules,”

The campaign wants to drive home the message that the marital status of a woman should not decide which colour she can or cannot wear, emphasizes Lily.  Color is purely a woman’s choice. Society should not dictate it.”

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https://glocalkhabar.com/news/national/single-women-discard-social-custom-embracing-red-sari-tika/

Nepal – Single Women/Widows Discard Social Custom by Embracing Red Sari & Tika

NATIONAL

By Glocal Khabar

Trishuli, March 20, 2017: The single women folks of Bageshwori area in Nuwakot have started wearing red clothes that they had discarded after the demise of their spouses.

A total of 184 women from Suryagadhi Village Council – 2 and 3 departed from the Hindu custom and convention to wear red – coloured sari and undergarments including Tika (a mixed paste of red vermillion and curd).

The women have been socially ostracized after discarding red – coloured attires following the death of their husbands, according to Bageshwori Single Women’s Chairperson, Deuti Dhakal.

The government data shows there are a total of 220 single women in Bageshwori. The ceremony of donning red attires was organized in coordination with the All Nepal Women’s Association Central Committee.

Representative Photograph: handeyemagazine.com