Karnataka Approves Paid Menstrual Leave in India!
New Delhi, Oct 10 (EFE).-
The state of Karnataka, a technological hub in southern India, has approved a policy granting one day of paid menstrual leave per month to all of its female workers, a measure that is part of a growing but controversial global debate on gender rights and equity at workplace.
The decision, taken Thursday by the provincial cabinet, was announced by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
“Our Government stands committed to dignity and wellbeing at work. (…) women employees across Karnataka will now receive one paid leave day every month – a step towards a more humane, understanding, and inclusive workplace,” he posted on social media platform X.
This law directly addresses one of India’s most entrenched social taboos. Traditionally, menstruating women are considered “impure,” and are forbidden from entering temples or even into the home kitchen.
This stigma, coupled with the lack of menstrual health education, fuels menstrual poverty, as millions of girls and women, especially in rural areas, lack access to affordable and hygienic health products, forcing them to leave school and work every month.
In this context, Karnataka is not the first region of the country to take this measure. The state of Bihar has offered two days of menstrual leave since 1992, and Kerala implemented a similar permit for female college students in 2023.
At the international level, countries such as Spain, Japan, Indonesia, South Korea and Zambia already have menstrual leave laws at the national or regional level.
The debate about menstrual leave is divided between those who consider it essential for equality, and those who argue that it could be counterproductive, warning of the risk that it will encourage discrimination in hiring women and reinforce the perception that menstruation is a disability. EFE
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