Spain plans menstrual leave in new law for those with severe pain
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According to media sources, Spain is going to establish medical leave for women who suffer from severe menstrual discomfort.
According to a draught bill, women would be entitled to three days of paid leave every month, which may be increased to five in certain circumstances.
Politicians, on the other hand, warned that the document, which had been leaked to the Spanish media, was still being worked on.
If passed, it would be Europe’s first legal entitlement of its kind. Only a few countries around the world have passed such legislation.
The Spanish bill is part of a broader reproductive health overhaul that includes adjustments to the country’s abortion regulations.
The measure is expected to be brought to the cabinet early next week, according to media outlets that have seen portions of it.
The proposal states that, with a doctor’s note, three days of sick leave will be granted during painful periods, with the possibility of extending to five days on a temporary basis for very intense or incapacitating pain. However, it is unlikely to apply to those who experience only minor discomfort.
According to El Pas, the initiative is part of a larger effort to treat menstruation as a health issue, which includes eliminating the “tampon tax” on various hygiene items and providing free sanitary items in public places such as schools and jails.
The document also contains paid maternity leave before childbirth and reforms to abortion regulations proposed by Equality Minister Irene Montero earlier this year.
This includes repealing a 2015 law that allowed minors aged 16 and 17 to get abortions without the consent of their parents or guardians. It also repeals a three-day cooling-off period and the requirement that abortion services be supplied through the public health system.
According to El Pas, doctors in traditionally Roman Catholic Spain, however, will be permitted to register as conscientious objectors. Surrogacy, which is illegal in Spain, will be subject to stricter regulations under the new law.