Providing menstrual leave at work is seen by many as a way to help women balance self-care and work commitments for a healthier work life.
Many women have expressed dismay and frustration at Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani’s remark that menstrual leave for women was not needed.
In a recent session of the Rajya Sabha, Irani, opposed the idea of paid menstrual leave for women when she answered a question. She remarked, “As a menstruating woman, menstruation and the menstruation cycle are not a handicap; it’s a natural part of women’s life journey.”
Sadhana Gowda, who works in a market research firm, said, “It’s not about considering ourselves handicapped but about recognizing and accommodating our needs in the workplace.”
Shipra Mittal, working in an ed-tech company said, “I believe that having the flexibility to decide how to manage work during menstruation contributes to a healthier work-life balance for women. Every woman experiences different levels of pain and we all have different bodily functions. Just because someone doesn’t feel a lot of pain, everyone can’t be expected to feel like them.”
Supporting the implementation of menstrual leave policies, a representative from the Gozoop Group, a marketing company, stated, “Our approach recognizes the necessity of acknowledging and accommodating the challenges women face during their periods. Offering menstrual leaves empowers women to prioritize self-care without compromising professional commitments.”
Bhautik Sheth, Founder of iVIPANAN Digital Marketing Services in Surat who came up with a menstrual leave policy in 2020, said, “Creating the policy gives space to women who feel uncomfortable due to unbearable pain, especially on the first and second days.” Sheth emphasized the benefits such policies provide, allowing women to make individual decisions about going to the office, working from home, or taking a leave. He said, “Assuming the paid period leave policy defines working women as handicapped is just an individualpoint of view.”
Dr. Amandeep Kaur, a gynaecologist, said, “While menstruation is a natural process, for some women, the associated pain can be debilitating. Offering choices through paid menstrual leaves is a progressive step, respecting the diverse experiences women have during this time.”
