Period Leave Policy: Concerned Minister’s Crucial Comments

Menstruation is part and parcel of women’s life. Up to a certain age, they deal with it every month. While it is a natural process, girls and women have to deal with certain symptoms. Understanding the difficulties they face during menstruation, a few companies give a few days of paid leave for them.

A few nations allow these paid leaves which were started to give a relief to them. Such a rule is not in use in India. There is a demand that the rule should be made compulsory. A few organisations are fighting for this. Amid this, a lady Minister made some crucial comments.

RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha asked what steps the Centre is taking to see that the paid leaves idea proposal is implemented compulsory. In response, the Minister said that she is against the idea.

Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani opposed the paid leave policy and said that menstruation is a natural part of women’s journey. It is a natural cycle and not handicapped.

Adding further, Smriti Irani said that we should not propose any issues that might deny equal opportunity to women with these paid leaves. Those who don’t menstruate might have a special viewpoint towards menstruation she said.

'We should not propose issues where women are in some way denied an equal opportunity just because somebody who does not menstruate has a particular viewpoint towards menstruation,” the Minister said.

Talking about the steps taken, Smriti Irani said that the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare prepared a draft menstrual hygiene policy to create awareness among girls between the age group of 10 to 19 on hygiene and other aspects.

Smriti Irani is the Minister of the concerned Portfolio. As she said she is not in favour of a paid leave proposal we might not see any rules from the Centre on making the leaves compulsory.