Sonu Mehtha
Is it really just a man’s world?
“When Women do better, economies do better”
– Christine lagarde, IMF.
The initiation of the Menstrual Policy dates back to 1988, when a school in Cochin facilitated students to take period leave. 32 years later, we are here debating the implications of the policy.
The World Bank report concluded in 2019 reports that about 40% of the workforce in the world consist of women and more than half of them suffer with dysmenorrhea (painful menstruation).
The first legislative step in this regard was taken by the Government of Bihar in 1992. The Human Resource Manual provided for two-day off for every woman in a month without mandating specification of the reason. Several other nations like Japan, Indonesia & South Korea have been rendering such leaves for a long time.
In the year 2017, the Menstruation Benefits Bill was introduced as a private bill in the Lok Sabha by Shri. Ninong Ering, then Member of Parliament from Arunachal Pradesh. However, there has been no improvement in the status of the bill whatsoever since then. The debates are increasing alarmingly and the leaders in the houses do not seem to be taking any conclusive decision. Very recently, private giants like Zomato in India have been highly lauded for implementation of a gender sensitive policy for rendering a two day menstrual leave to all female employees.
To conclude, it is only right that the Parliamentarians take up the discussion at the earliest possible hour so as to ensure a progressive development to create an equitable environment for women.
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