Understanding Chhaupadi: Tradition, Violence, and Pathways for Change

This research examines Chaupadi, a tradition in Far-Western Nepal that forces women and girls into menstrual exile, and its impact on domestic violence. I approach the Chhaupadi practice as a manifestation of structural violence, ingrained in cultural norms that sustain inequitable power dynamics. Utilizing nationally representative data and a quasi-experimental design, I found a significant impact of menstrual exile on domestic violence from intimate partners and mothers-in-law. Building on these findings, I envisage quantifying the role of cultural values and social norms in shaping decisions around Chhaupadi, offering insights to guide culturally sensitive interventions for equity and transformation.

Long-Term Impact of Nepal’s Female Community Health Volunteers Program

By leveraging advanced causal inference techniques, the research aims to disentangle the long-term influence of Nepal’s Female Community Health Volunteers (FCHVs) program on child health and educational outcomes. With data collection now complete, our analysis seeks to uncover how proximity to FCHVs has shaped health and educational trajectories over time, providing valuable insights into the transformative potential of community-based interventions.

Nepal’s Armed Conflict and Learning Outcomes

This study examines how Nepal’s armed conflict (1996–2006) has shaped children’s cognitive skills. Using diverse data sources such as conflict victim records, household surveys, and satellite imagery, the study focuses on the second-generation consequences of conflict on human capital development.