Menstrual Leave Implementation: A Far-Off Possibility

The Clinical Evidence Handbook states that 20% of women experience symptoms like cramping, nausea, etc. during their periods that are severe enough to interfere with everyday activities.

Despite improved period awareness and more widespread knowledge over the past few years, menstruation is still taboo in India. Due to the stigma surrounding periods, it is exceedingly challenging to openly talk about them at work and educational institutes. As a result, many women suffer in silence rather than demand the right to rest.

Ninong Ering, a member of the Legislative Assembly from Pasighat (West), Arunachal Pradesh, affiliated with the Indian National Congress, has been fighting for the right of women to two days of paid menstrual health leave at work for the past five years. When he was a member of parliament, he first introduced the Menstruation Benefit Bill, 2017 as a private member's bill in the Lok Sabha in November that year.

The Menstruation Benefit Bill addresses the excruciating discomfort experienced by women on the first day of their menstruation. This is a positive step toward a gender-sensitive labour policy. According to Section 4 of the bill, women who work at any establishment registered with the government are entitled to paid leave, as long as those who don't want it are paid overtime. Students in class 8th and higher may also take a leave of absence. The bill also seeks to provide improved facilities for respite at the workplace during menstruation. Every woman employee is entitled to thirty minutes of rest time twice daily for a maximum of four days during menstruation in a month, per section 5 of the Bill. Giving working women the option of taking menstrual leaves and getting enough rest is a step toward de-stigmatizing menstruation as well as ensuring that more women join the workforce and may do so with dignity.

The Menstrual Benefits Bill was introduced for a number of reasons, but the government has been reluctant to pass the bill because of strong opposition, part of which came from women. The passing of the bill has been debated numerous times.

When analysing the obstacles to the concept's adoption, it is crucial to first make clear that there is a more profound debate about whether menstrual leave is actually necessary or, more importantly, wanted. While many female students in Mumbai support menstrual leave because of the excruciating pain and disruption to productivity that period pain causes, others have rejected the idea. This is because they think that promoting menstrual leave will reinforce stereotypes about female weakness and negatively affect women's chances of getting hired and promoted at any job.

Some female students at Sophia College in Mumbai think that allowing for menstruation leave will reduce the overall number of students who attend class each day and result in lower academic participation. Some who are against the bill claim that it separates women rather than empowering them. They think that if it were to pass, it would be interpreted as a sign that women are helpless and unable to handle normal biological occurrences. Most importantly, not every woman has excruciating discomfort during her period. Many of them are able to keep on with their daily lives and accomplish their responsibilities. Women who do not experience monthly discomfort may take advantage of these leaves if this bill is passed and the law becomes mandatory.

The students generally mentioned the provision of free sanitary items and clean restrooms when questioned about their recommendations for flexibility in educational institutions. Although not all students support the bill, they do think that it will help lessen the stigma associated with periods to some level since people will feel more comfortable talking about it. It would spark a discussion about how girls miss classes because of the awful discomfort. This could lead to an increase in the number of men learning the basics of menstruation.

Menstruation is an issue that cannot be disregarded even though it is a taboo in India. Every woman goes through a cycle every month that lasts somewhere between three and six days. Workplaces must be inclusive of women's bodies for moral reasons as well as to produce a more engaged and effective workforce. Currently, there is large discrimination against women in and out the workplace. This bill must include a considerate and methodically planned policy. An implementation that works well is essential. By taking care of these issues, employers will be able to accommodate all genders in the workplace, not only men.