Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani has expressed her disagreement with the concept of mandatory paid menstrual leave for female employees. During a session in the Rajya Sabha, Irani emphasized that menstruation is a natural aspect of women's lives and should not be viewed as a hindrance necessitating special leave provisions.
"As a menstruating woman, menstruation and the menstruation cycle are not a handicap; it's a natural part of women's life journey," Irani remarked in response to a question by MP Manoj Kumar Jha.
She cautioned against the potential for discrimination against women in the workforce if menstrual leave were to be mandated, stating, "We should not propose issues where women are denied equal opportunities just because somebody who does not menstruate has a particular viewpoint towards menstruation."
Despite her opposition to mandatory menstrual leave, Irani highlighted the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare's initiative to draft a national policy, developed in collaboration with stakeholders, focusing on improving awareness and access to proper menstrual hygiene management practices across the country.
Irani also underscored the 'Promotion of Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM)' scheme, targeting adolescent girls aged 10 to 19. Supported by the National Health Mission, this scheme aims to enhance knowledge about menstrual hygiene through various education and awareness programs.
This announcement comes in the wake of a recent report presented in Parliament, categorizing the issue of special menstrual leave as a health matter falling under the purview of the health ministry for examination.
While countries like Spain have recently passed legislation allowing paid leave for painful periods, Irani clarified that, within the Indian context, there is currently no government proposal under consideration to mandate paid menstrual leave across all workplaces.
