Menstrual Leave

The Centre on Monday informed the Supreme Court of framing the "Menstrual Hygiene Policy for School Going Girls" approved by the Union Health Ministry. The Centre referred to a top court order of April 10, 2023, and said the Union Ministry of the Health and Family Welfare framed the policy over menstrual hygiene of female school children which was approved by the minister concerned on November 2, 2024. The top court was hearing a PIL filed by Congress leader and social activist Jaya Thakur seeking directions to the Centre and states to provide free sanitary pads to female students between Classes 6 and 12 and ensure separate female toilet facilities in all government, government-aided and residential schools. "This policy aims to mainstream menstrual hygiene within the school system of the government to bolster change in knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours, among schoolgirls, overcoming the barriers of low awareness that often restrict their freedom, mobility and participation in .

The state government has also formed an 18-member panel tasked with drafting the Right of Women to Menstrual Leave and Free Access to Menstrual Health Products bill

The policy is aimed at supporting the health and well-being of the menstruating people and will be extended to both public and private sector

The Supreme Court said that this issue involves several policy considerations and should not be addressed by the judiciary

The Sikkim High Court registry said that women staff members are entitled to take 2-3 days of menstrual leave each month

Most startups don't give leave for menstruation but many do for miscarriage

Union Minister Smriti Irani warned that menstrual leave could lead to discrimination against women in the workforce

Around 73 per cent of women want companies to allow them to take menstrual leaves while 86.6 per cent are in favour of a menstrual-friendly workplace where hygiene methods and support infrastructure are available to women, according to a recent study. The Menstrual Hygiene Survey 2023, conducted by Everteen, a feminine hygiene brand, also revealed that 71.7 per cent of the participants in the survey do not want the menstrual leaves to be paid, fearing that it may make companies reluctant to hire female employees. Nearly 10,000 women in the age group of 18 to 35 years participated in the survey that was conducted in multiple cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Chennai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Lucknow and Patna. The survey report was released ahead of the global Menstrual Hygiene Day on May 28. "While 73 per cent of women want that companies should allow them to take menstrual leaves, 71.7 per cent of them do not want these to be paid and fear that it may make ..

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud posted the matter for hearing on February 24

There is no proposal to bring legislation to ensure menstruation leave in educational institutions, according to the Ministry of Education. The information was shared by Union Minister of Education for State Subhas Sarkar in response to a written question in Lok Sabha. "No such proposal is under consideration in the ministry," he said when asked whether the government will bring legislation to ensure menstruation benefit leave in educational institutions. The minister informed that the University Grants Commission (UGC) has introduced "Guidelines for Basic facilities and amenities for safe, secure environment for Women and Women Cell (for sensitization, policy implementation, monitoring and grievance redressal) in HEIs". "The guidelines state that the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) should ensure easy access to basic sanitation and hygiene facilities for women such as clean, well-maintained and fully functioning separate restrooms equipped with 24 hours tap water supply, soa

Kerala CM Vijayan said that in a first in the country, menstrual and maternity leaves would be granted to all women students in all institutions under the State govt's Higher Education Department

Kerala Higher Education Minister Dr R Bindu said that the govt is considering granting menstrual leaves in all the state varsities as recently announced by the Cochin University

A leaked draft of new legislation proposed giving workers experiencing period pain three days of optional leave a month, with two additional days permitted in exceptional cases

Other initiatives from Swiggy include enabling access to vehicles, access to hygienic restrooms, implementing safety measures for female delivery partners

The petition by Delhi Labour Union, through advocate Rajiv Agarwal, sought direction to the Centre and Delhi government to grant paid leaves for four days a month to all classes of women employees

The Ministry of Women and Child Development recently said there was no proposal to provide for menstrual leave, neither did the ministry planned to pilot a legislation on the issue

Mumbai's Culture Machine has legitimised the first day of Period Leave policy