To "leave" or not ? Period.

Ganesh: “6 months of leave were not enough? Now you get an additional 10 days!”

Radha: “Ganesh, if men could make the switch happen and would instead bleed 4-5 days a month - every month, I would gladly make it 20 days a year.” 

Smiling they sipped their last sip of coffee and left for their desks. Radha and Ganesh are good friends at work. Radha knew Ganesh was only making conversation on the latest development at work where their company had introduced a 10-day menstrual leave policy for their employees. Even though Ganesh was not against the policy, Radha wasn’t sure what he really thought deep inside – she didn’t know him THAT well.

The recently introduced a period leave in her company drew headlines around the world and applause from social media users and women’s rights advocates. In the office, many welcomed the policy but there were also murmurs, jokes, side-jokes, some hushed some not so - especially during lunch and coffee hours. Many were vocal of their displeasure women included – expressing how this really wasn’t equality, how the label ‘menstrual leave’ is not appropriate and how managers now would have another reason to snicker at an application of leave from a woman – “Period leave hah!”. A few said that most women would still be shy to name the leave as ‘menstrual’ and hence the policy looks good only on paper and would have no real value.  Some even expressed disgust stating that a woman who for example is a CEO, wouldn’t miss an important stakeholder meeting just because she is on her period.  

Radha listened to most of the conversations going around. She didn’t really voice herself except having a wide smile that cut across her cheeks standing close to her closest friend when the announcement was made. They had one reaction “Wow. Thank God!” Personally, for them it was a huge relief. They had terrible painful spasms accompanied by nausea, bloating and sore bodies. They always took leave for a day or two during the days. Of course, when it was an important day at work, did not- they came to work, gave the presentation and killed it too. As with all women, for important days, there is always ‘Meftal-Spa’ (the universal pain relief pill that women pop in India and smile and present themselves to the world during menstruation) ??

Menstruation, also known as a period is the regular discharge of blood and mucosal tissue from the inner lining of the uterus and vagina. It a normal biological process occurring in women. Menses are often accompanied by -

• Pre-menstrual symptoms: tender breasts, bloating, feeling tired, irritability, and mood changes
• In-menstrual symptoms: pain in the stomach, pelvic and lower back, headaches, fatigue and cramps in abdomen and legs.

Period-related pain, also referred to as dysmenorrhea, is common worldwide. It often affects school and workplace performance, and can grow worse with age. Painful periods may interfere with of women’s daily activities and for 3-8% of the women who has severe symptoms, it certainly does.

Zomato recently announced a 10-day period leave for their women employees. This has been a much welcome policy adoption from most women quarters of the society. Women should not be punished for their biology. If women need to keep shush and not talk about their period pain for the fear of being compared to the capability of their male colleagues or just to “fit in”, then we are surely behind the forward and modern thinking. Having her period is not a choice the woman makes so gender equality is our end goal, then equity is the way to reach it. The policy is also considered a bold move in tackling an age-old taboo in India, where 71% of young women remain unaware of menstruation until their first cycle (UNICEF). For decades, menstruation has been a barrier to women’s equality.

In Asia, there are other countries that offer menstrual leave policies Indonesia, Japan, Vietnam, South Korea and China.