Menstruation is not a handicap: Smriti Irani opposes paid leave

Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani on Wednesday opposed the idea of mandatory paid leave for women on account of menstruation, reported India Today.

“As a menstruating woman, menstruation and the menstruation cycle are not a handicap; they’re a natural part of women’s life journey,” Irani said in response to a question by MP Manoj Kumar Jha in the Rajya Sabha.

She said that menstruation should not require “paid leave” as such a policy could lead to discrimination against women.

“We should not propose issues where women are denied equal opportunities just because somebody who does not menstruate has a particular viewpoint towards menstruation,” the minister said.

In a separate written reply to the question, Irani confirmed that the Union health ministry was rolling out a Menstrual Hygiene Policy.

Notably, the government had released the draft Menstrual Hygiene Policy in October that advocate for leave provisions for menstruating women in workplaces, reported the Hindustan Times.

She also said that the Centre has several schemes for promoting menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls, including one under the National Health Mission that focuses on the age group of 10 years to 19 years. She also listed the National Guidelines on Menstrual Hygiene Management and the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao among pogrammes that raise awareness about menstrual hygiene....

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