Should women get period leave? Union Minister Smriti Irani sparks countrywide debate

“As a menstruating woman, menstruation and the menstruation cycle is not a handicap, it’s a natural part of women’s life journey… We should not propose issues where women are denied equal opportunities just because somebody who does not menstruate has a particular viewpoint towards menstruation,” Irani said.

In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, 13 December, Irani said that “a small proportion of women/girls suffer from severe dysmenorrhea or similar complaints and most of these cases are manageable by medication”.

“However, the issue of menstruation and related issues are surrounded by silence, often treated with shame and associated with social taboos that restrict mobility, freedom, and access to normal activities for menstruating persons, and many times leads to their harassment and social exclusion. It becomes even more sensitive when a girl/menstruating person is unaware of the changes that she undergoes emotionally and physically while facing her menstrual cycle for the first time,” she added.

It may be noted that in October, the government released a draft Menstrual Hygiene Policy, advocating leave for menstruating individuals. “Educational Institutions and workplaces to promote inclusivity, recognise the diverse needs of the workforce, and foster an environment that supports the well-being and productivity of all individuals,” the draft policy said.

The draft stated that provisions like flexible working arrangements, such as working from home or leave, to accommodate the specific needs of individuals during menstruation. “It is important to emphasise that such arrangements should be available to all to prevent perpetuating stigmas or assumptions about productivity based on menstrual cycles,” it added.

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The unspoken agony

While there has been a mixed response from urban women to Irani’s statement, it has not gone down well with the women in the unorganised sector.

“This problem affects millions of women in the country but no one wants to acknowledge it. Period pain, a monthly ordeal, goes unaddressed, with women in our sector bearing the brunt. The government or even a women minister, unfortunately, fail to recognise even our basic health needs. When she can’t see our pain what will she know about our ‘period pain’?” Shaheen Khanum, who works as a beedi-roller and domestic help in Davanagere, asked while speaking to South First.

“Every month, it’s the same story. The pain is unbearable, but I can’t afford to miss a day’s work. Who will listen to us?” she asked grumpily. She said that several women like her have to juggle between the demands of physically taxing jobs and the challenges of menstrual health.

Mahadevamma, a domestic help and flower vendor in Chamarajanagar, is angry. She has three daughters and they all bear with the pain every month.

“The doctor told me that there is no problem and I have to manage. My daughters also have the same problem. But we have no one to listen to us. Who will give us paid leave? This minister, if she is a woman, should know that the ‘indiscrimination’ she spoke about is only in jobs that are noticed. Our jobs are not noticed. First, let her at least ensure free sanitary napkins and access to free healthcare for us,” she said.

In sectors like construction, domestic work, and others, women often work in environments that lack even the most basic facilities such as clean toilets or a space to rest. The physical nature of their work exacerbates the discomfort, yet the stigma surrounding menstruation and a pervasive lack of awareness leads to trivialising or ignoring their pain.

“We’re clocked for our bathroom breaks and taking a day off is not an option. The pain is just something we are expected to ‘deal with’,” Priya, a factory worker at Krishnagiri in Tamil Nadu, said.

Her case is not an aberration but part of a broader narrative where menstrual health is sidelined, and women’s well-being is compromised for productivity.

Healthcare, a fundamental right, remains inaccessible for many of these women.

“Doctors and medicines are a luxury we can’t always afford. We rely on home remedies, but sometimes they aren’t enough,” Sunitha, a street vendor from Kanakapura, said. The economic implications of taking a day off due to menstrual pain further compel women to endure the pain in silence.

The absence of formal workplace policies regarding menstrual health adds to the predicament. There is no safety net, no understanding of the need for menstrual leave, and no consideration for the unique health challenges faced by women. “It’s high time that we recognised menstrual health as a serious issue and not just as a ‘woman’s problem’,” Priya added.

Concurring, Brinda Adiga, a social activist felt as an elected representative, Irani should have spoken based on scientific facts. “Making statements that belittle dysmenorrhea or premenstrual syndrome is appalling,” she told South First.

“Women and girls suffer menstrual pains, affecting their physical health and activities. Periods are not disorder for Smriti Irani to claim that women will miss opportunities in the corporate world. The minister has failed to take into account women in the unorganised sectors. Smriti Irani must apologise to women and work towards ensuring menstrual leaves that have become the norm in every sector,” she opined.

Also Read: This Kerala university is granting menstruation benefits to students

Optional period leave

While Irani’s statement has been termed as “insensitive” by a few, others seconded her but opined that employers could make menstrual leave optional.

Speaking to South First, Sowmya Niranjan, who is currently on a career break, opined that it should be optional. “I have been a working professional for more than two decades and it has never bothered me,” she said.

“Yes, I did have a few days of discomfort but most of the corporates that I have worked for had alternatives (work from home, wellness rooms),” she said.

Period pain differs from individual to individual. While some can manage the most tedious jobs, some others have medical issues that they cannot even move out of bed.

Irani wondered why women have been grappling with the issue for decades and why should there be a period leave policy. However, many working women felt period leave to take rest and recuperate would be valid option.

Symptoms such as debilitating abdominal cramps, unrelenting headaches, persistent fatigue, and mood swings, which many women experience during their menstrual cycle, have been highlighted as reasons for the necessity of such leave.

Riya Matthew, an independent mental health counsellor in Bengaluru emphasised that the physical discomfort and emotional changes associated with menstruation could significantly impact women’s well-being and performance at work.

She suggested that menstrual leave should be allowed “as and when required” since the experience of the menstrual cycle varies among women.

Dr Prathiksha Pai, a consultant pathologist in Bengaluru advocated paid leave. “Being a working mother of two girls and a doctor myself, I strongly support paid leave during the menstrual cycle. Though it doesn’t make us handicapped like the minister said, around 80-90 percent of women would be having pain or heavy bleeding, and clots during their periods. Periods are not like flu — it is a monthly ordeal. So providing a paid leave will provide both mental and physical relief to women,” she said.

Suggesting that the leave could be optional, educator Shainaz Jussa agreed with Irani. “Menstruation is normal. If it requires genuine medical rest then leave is justified. I haven’t taken a day off from work or my exercise regime during menstruation. I treat it like just another day. However, some women suffer painful cramps and backaches and may need rest. One should consider individual differences during menstruation,” she said.

However, Bengaluru-based gynaecologist Dr Sowmya Sangamesh, too, supported the minister. “There is no need for any woman to go on leave during her menstrual cycle. It is a natural process and by taking leave, her medical condition won’t change. She should get treated for the problems and not look at availing paid leaves,” she opined.

Also Read: Kerala MP spreads menstruation awareness with period pain simulator

Privileged vs underprivileged 

Most people who supported the minister were from the organised sector. Pratibha R, president of the Garment and Textile Workers Union (GATWU), too, felt period leave should be optional. “Workers in our sector currently have 21 days of earned leave. If we could provide an additional three days’ leave, it would be more helpful,” she said, adding that it need not be mandatory.

Pratibha said though the garment sector has been classified as “organised”, several workers were facing conditions similar to the unorganised sector.

“If a law is brought in for providing optional paid leave without making a mockery of the woman’s period pain, it would help,” she said.

Meanwhile, Dr Sylvia Karpagam, a public health activist from Karnataka said she had worked in a large human rights organisation where the women were mainly from the privileged elite urban background.

“Despite receiving huge salaries they understood and contributed very little to human rights issues. But they spent a lot of their time pushing for their rights. Menstrual leave was one of them,” she said.

She then pointed out the irony. “The housekeeping staff in the organisation was not included in the demands because they were contract workers attached to an external agency. So, I feel that some of these demands will only benefit a certain class of women, and exclude many others who are sometimes even forced to undergo hysterectomies.”

“I would not lend my voice to this demand,” Dr Karpagam said. However, she added that the fact remains that Irani continues to be extremely ill-informed and insensitive. “She should speak more responsibly.”