What is menstruation leave and in which countries women can avail them?

 

What is menstruation leave and in which countries women can avail them?



Spain has proposed new legislation that would allow women to take several days off each month for "menstrual leave." If the bill passes, Spain will be the first Western country to enact such legislation for menstruation women.

According to Euro-News, the Spanish government is set to approve the provision as part of a larger draught bill on reproductive health and abortion rights, and the details will be announced on Tuesday, according to national media.

According to the daily El Pais, the proposed rule would give women suffering from severe period symptoms at least three sick days every month.

What is menstrual leave?

The implementation of menstruation leave for women in the workplace has long been disputed around the world.

It is a sort of leave in which women may be able to take a paid or unpaid absence from work while they are menstruating.

Because the menstrual period can bring extreme discomfort, pain, emotional problems, and other health concerns, having such a tool at their disposal helps women to stay at home rather than go to work.

Menstrual leave is commonly associated with women's work productivity and workplace sexism, much as the topic of menstruation has remained taboo in numerous third-world nations.

Where do countries stand on menstrual leave?

Some Southeast Asian countries, such as Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, allow women to take menstrual leaves.

Women in Indonesia are entitled to two days of menstruation leave per month, however, they are not additional days off.

The law has been in place in Japan for more than 70 years. Article 68 of the Labour Standards Law, which was approved in 1947, provides that if a woman has sought leave because working during her period would be particularly onerous, the employer must not employ her on those days.

Despite the fact that the law requires employers to allow women to take leave, it does not force businesses to provide paid time off or extra compensation for women who choose to work during their period.

If female employees in South Korea do not take their menstrual break, they are guaranteed additional compensation.

However, the benefit is not widely used. Only 0.9 per cent of female employees in Japan sought a period leave, according to a 2017 government poll.

Usage is likewise declining in South Korea. According to a survey conducted in 2013, 23.6 per cent of South Korean women took use of the leave. By 2017, the figure has dropped to 19.7%.

The Act of Gender Equality in Employment in Taiwan provides women with three days of "menstrual leave" per year, which is not counted toward the 30 days of "common sick leave."

Zambia has menstrual leave legislation, which is known as "Mother's Day," and women are constitutionally entitled to take a day off each month. If the woman employee is denied leave, she has the right to sue her company.

Menstrual leave in India

In India, there is no legal framework according to which women can take menstrual leave. However, several private organizations, such as Byju's, Zomato, and Culture Magazine, provide this benefit to their female employees.

Bihar is the only state in the country with government-approved period leaves. In January 1992, a state government order mandated that all female employees receive two consecutive days of paid leave each month, in addition to their regular vacation days.

The Menstruation Benefits Bill, 2017 was introduced in Parliament by MP Ninong Ering of Arunachal Pradesh in 2017.

Women employed by both public and private establishments registered with the Central and/or state governments would have been entitled to two days of menstrual leave each month, for a total of 24 days of leave per year, according to the Bill.

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