Uttar Pradesh women teachers are now demanding three days ‘Period Leave’ or ‘Menstrual Leave’ every month, over and above other leaves available to them.
They have cited the facility available to their counterparts in states like Bihar.
The Uttar Pradesh Women Teachers’ Association has submitted their demand to Anamika Chaudhary, a member of UP Women’s Commission, and now plans to approach Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya.
Anamika Chaudhary has promised to make Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath aware of the demand.
The women teachers underlined the fact that menstruating women experience pain and bleeding, both of which affect their mental and physical state.
Senior vice-president of the association’s Prayagraj unit, Poonam Gupta, said that the Bihar government was extending this leave to women employees for the past 30 years.
“We want UP government to also extend three days’ ‘period leave’, per month, for women teachers and employees,” she said.
“All units are submitting similar memorandums to elected MLAs and ministers in their respective districts. Be it Azamgarh, Bareilly, or Lucknow, the plan is to let every MLA and minister be aware of our demands. In Prayagraj, we plan to submit a memorandum to Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya also,” she added.
It is noteworthy that Indian food delivery service Zomato has decided to give female employees up to 10 days of ‘period leave’ per year.
“A number of private companies provide the option to women workers to avail ‘period leave’ even in India. It is an optional leave at most places and hardly anyone misuses it. Today, women teachers either have had to come to work on the most painful day of their menstrual cycle or make up some excuse. The leave cannot take away their pain and discomfort, but it can give them a break on the days they are most uncomfortable,” said Poonam Gupta.