Karnataka govt to grant six days of annual paid menstrual leave: Labour Minister Santosh Lad

The Karnataka government is planning to provide six days of paid menstrual leave per year for working women in the private and government sectors, Moneycontrol reported on Thursday.

The government has formed an 18-member committee to draft a bill on the Right of Women to Menstrual Leave and Free Access to Menstrual Health Products.

"We are considering the suggestions and have called for a meeting with the committee members. This initiative supports the female workforce, as women experience significant ups and downs in life. The leave will be flexible, allowing women to choose when they want to take time off," Karnataka's Labour Minister, Santosh Lad, said.

“It's not just about being progressive. Women face many challenges, especially after marriage or when they have children. There are many factors to consider,” Lad said.

Last month, the Odisha government announced one day of menstrual leave for women. In 1992, Bihar started providing women with two days of paid menstrual leave per month. Kerala started giving menstrual leave to female students in all state universities in 2023.

Arunachal Pradesh MP Ninong Ering introduced the Menstruation Benefit Bill in 2017, which aims to provide women with two days of paid menstrual leave every month. The bill has not yet been passed.

In December 2023, the then Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani said that menstruation is not a handicap and is natural for women. Granting menstrual leave will hamper equal opportunities for women.

Private companies such as Zomato and Swiggy provide menstrual leave for women delivery partners. Food delivery giant Zomato provides ten days of paid menstrual leave every year, whereas its competitor Swiggy provides two days of menstrual leave every month.

Globally, countries such as Japan, South Korea, Spain, the Philippines, Taiwan, Zambia, and Vietnam grant paid menstrual leave to women.