Spain Becomes The First European Country To Provide Menstrual Leave

In a first for Europe, Spain passes legislation allowing women with painful periods to take paid leave from work. On Thursday, Parliament approved the bill as part of a larger package of sexual and reproductive rights. It included allowing women under the age of 16 to get an abortion and freely changing their gender on their ID cards.

The law was passed after receiving 185 votes against 154, granting three days of "menstrual leave," which can be extended to five days for women with excruciating period cramps, nausea, dizziness, and vomiting.

Spain Grants Menstrual Leave

Women who wish to use this law must produce a doctor’s note, and the public security system will foot the bill. Equality Minister Irene Montero, who was the driving force behind this law, hailed the passing of the litigation as a "day of progress for feminist rights." "There will be resistance to its application, just as there has been and will be resistance to the application of all feminist laws," she told Parliament.

Menstrual leave has been a topic that has been debated for a long time across the world. It is a type of leave where women will have the option of taking paid or unpaid leave from their workplace when they are menstruating.

Periods can cause severe discomfort for many women, including cramps, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), nausea, dizziness, diarrhoea, and other health issues. Having the choice to take time off from work and rest in the comfort of their homes would be a boon for women.

Menstrual leave is often associated with women’s work efficiency and workplace sexism, and the mere topic of menstruation remains taboo in many third-world countries.

Which countries have menstrual leave?

Menstrual leaves are granted in some Southeast Asian countries, such as Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, and Taiwan. Indonesia gives two days of menstrual leave each month, but these are not additional leaves. Japan has had this legislation for over 70 years now.

In South Korea, women are granted additional pay if they do not take menstrual leave. The Act of Gender Equality in Employment in Taiwan provides women with three days of menstrual leave per year, which will not be calculated along with the 30 days of common sick leave.

Menstrual leave in India

Currently, there are no laws that allow women to take menstrual leave in India. However, some companies like Byju’s, Zomato, Swiggy and Culture Magazine allow their female employees to take menstrual leaves. In India, Bihar is the only state that has government-approved menstrual leaves. Since 1992, women have been able to take two consecutive days of leave each month in addition to their regular leave.

Following the public interest litigation (PIL) seeking menstrual leave for female students and working women across the entire country, the Supreme Court will hear the PIL on February 24, 2023. Advocate Shailendra Mani T filed the petition.

Suggested Reading: PIL Seeking Menstrual Leave Filed Before SC. Here’s What Millennial Working Women Think