The Spanish parliament on Thursday finally approved a proposal that would enshrine menstrual leave for women in law. This is reported by international news agencies. Spain is thus the first European country with such a measure. On a global scale, a leave for women with painful menstruation is still a rare entitlement. Only countries such as Japan, South Korea, Indonesia and Zambia have previously introduced a similar law.
The Spanish cabinet says it hopes to break a taboo and wants to treat menstruation as a full-fledged health issue from now on. “It’s a historic day for feminist advancement,” wrote the Minister of Equality Irene Montero on Twitter. Menstrual leave, as with other paid medical leave, still needs to be approved by a doctor. The length of sick leave, which will be financed by the social care system, is not specified in the new law. An earlier bill spoke of five days a month.
The menstrual leave also arouses skepticism, both within the socialist wing of the government and among the opposition. The Partido Popular, the country’s major right-wing conservative opposition party, says it fears the risk of “stigmatization” and “marginalization” of women. The socialist trade union UGT also expressed its concern about the negative consequences for women on the labor market. Companies would be less inclined to hire women. Earlier, Minister José Luis Escrivá (Inclusion, PSOE) stated that this law actually creates better labor market conditions for women.
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