To end a “taboo”, on Tuesday the left -wing Spanish government presented a bill creating “menstrual leave” for women experiencing painful menstruation, a first in Europe.
We will be the first country in Europe to introduce temporary sick leave fully funded by the state for painful and disabling menstruation.accepted the Minister for Equality, Irene Montero, at the conclusion of the Council of Ministers.
Periods are no longer forbidden […] No more working with pain where filling themselves with pills at to hide the pain we feeladded the minister, one of the leaders of the radical left party Podemos, partner of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s Socialist Party in the coalition government.
The Minister had earlier indicated on public television that this sick leave, which must be signed by the attending physician, there will be no time limitwhile a preliminary version of the draft released last week by the media mentioned a three -day vacation that could be increased to five in case of severe symptoms.
This text must be approved by Parliament where the government is a minority, before it can take effect.
If the executive gets the green light from representatives, Spain will be the first country in Europe and one of the few in the world to incorporate this measure into its legislation, such as Japan, Indonesia or Zambia in particular.
We are advancing feminism. Women should be free to decide about their livesgreeted Pedro Sánchez on Twitter, in reference to a bill that also strengthens the right to abortion in the country.
In France, as in the United Kingdom or the United States, some companies provide that menstrual leave to their employees, but this is not stated in the law.
Hesitation
In Spain, however, the proposal aroused reluctance within the executive itself, among socialist ministers, but also within the unions.
You have to be careful with this kind of decision.warned on Friday the deputy general secretary of UGT, one of Spain’s two main unions, Cristina Antoñanzas, saying she was concerned about a possible brake on hiring women on the part of employers who want to avoid this absence.
An analysis refuted by the Workers ’Commissions (CCOO), the other major Spanish union, hailed a legislative development major, of a nature in make visible and identify an ignored health problem.
This menstrual leave is one of the key steps of a broader bill that also plans to strengthen access to abortion in public hospitals, which conducts less than 15% of abortions in the country due to massive opposition from doctors due to conscience.
It should also allow minors to have an abortion without the consent of their parents at 16 and 17 years old by going back to an obligation introduced by the previous Conservative government in 2015.
Minors over the age of 16 can have an abortion without their parents ’consent in most EU countries. And in Belgium, Finland, France, Slovenia, Sweden and Ireland, a girl can do it, regardless of her age.
sex education
Abortion was decriminalized in Spain in 1985 and made legal in 2010, but abortion remains a right full of pitfalls in this country with a strong Catholic tradition.
The government text also states the strengthening of sex education in schools as well as the free distribution of contraceptives or menstrual hygiene products in high schools.
The Minister for Equality is also in favor of reducing the sales tax on menstrual hygiene products, from 10% to 4%, but this measure has not been maintained.
Spain is a country considered one of the pioneers in Europe in terms of feminism since the enactment in 2004 of a law on gender violence.
On feminist claims, the Sánchez government has more women (14) than men (9, including the prime minister).
Source: Radio-Canada
