A demand that could hamper gender equality

• The Sabrimala temple issue sparked widespread discussion on the discrimination faced by menstruating women in accessing religious spaces.
• It highlighted the ongoing struggle to eliminate discriminatory practices related to menstruation and to promote gender equality.

Paid Leave and Menstruation

• Demand for paid menstrual leave is critiqued as potentially undermining efforts for gender equality.
• According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2021, this would further dissuade companies from hiring women.
• While paid leave for menstruation aims to raise awareness, it may actually exacerbate the issue by highlighting menstruation as a special concern.
• It could also inadvertently widen the gender gap instead of closing it, despite their well-meaning intentions.
• If the government ratifies ‘special status’ for menstruating women, it could reinforce social stigma around menstruation.

World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2021

• According to the report, the gender global gap has widened (instead of shrinking).
• At the workforce level, a woman earns 84 cents for every dollar that a man makes.
• The participation of women in the labour force is significantly lower than that of men, and even fewer women hold leadership positions.
• In the current situation, it would take the world 135.6 years to achieve gender equality.

Menstrual Hygiene

• The National Family Health Survey (NFHS) report highlights challenges in menstrual hygiene.
• Approximately 50% of women between the ages of 15 to 24 in India continue to rely on the use of cloth for menstrual protection
  • Due to insufficient awareness and societal taboos around menstruation
• Girls are often compelled to leave school or face social exclusion during their menstrual cycles.

Case Study: Japan

• Countries such as Japan provide leave for painful menstruation- but it is mostly unpaid, and unused.
• This is mostly because women are reluctant to avail this leave due to fear of stigma and harassment.
• Even though this policy was introduced in Japan more than seven decades ago, a mere 0.9% of women in the workforce avail menstrual leave days in Japan.
• Gender disparities still persist in employment and pay despite high female education levels.

Implementation Challenges

• Implementing paid menstrual leave raises questions about misuse and enforcement methods.
• This is exemplified by incidents of invasive checks on menstruation in Indian schools.

Continuing Struggles for Gender Equality

• Women globally fight for equal opportunities, from combat roles in the military to pay parity in corporate settings.
• The Supreme Court of India even urged the government to enable equal evaluation of women, and to have them undergo the same standards of testing as men.
• In response, the government argued that women are not suitable for ground combat roles.

Conclusion

• Acknowledging the diverse range of experiences women have during menstruation is essential.
• Instead of applying blanket solutions, providing tailored support would promote inclusivity and address individual needs.