Gender equality

^{​Paid leave for menstruation may create awareness on the subject but could end up widening the gender gap}

^{Note : this article is taken from the hindu . And this is for only education purpose and fair use .}

^{The Sabrimala temple issue and discrimination of women}

^{1 It was one that ruled our collective consciousness. It was unfathomable that menstruating women were deemed ‘unfit’ to enter a temple.} 

^{2 Echoes of ‘menstruation is not a disease, but a natural phenomena’ could be heard all around.} 

^{3 but The demand for paid leave for menstruation works to undermine it}

^{Menstrual cycles can be challenging — almost debilitating for some —}

^.

^{On the global gender gap}

^{The World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2021} 

^{1 says that the gender global gap has widened. In the current situation, it would take the world 135.6 years to achieve gender equality.} 

^{2 Looking at it specifically at the workforce level, a woman earns 84 cents for every dollar that a man makes.}

 ^{3 The participation of women in the labour force is significantly lower than that of men, and even fewer women hold leadership positions.}

 ^{If one adds mandatory paid leave} 

^{for periods to this, it would end up further dissuading मना करना companies from hiring women.}

^{If the government ratifies ‘special status’ for menstruating women, it validates  पुष्टि the social stigma around menstruation.}

 ^{(both men and women) consider menstruation to be ‘impure’.}

use of cloth for menstrual protection

^{The most recent National Family Health Survey (NFHS) report has highlighted how approximately 50% of women between the ages of 15 to 24 in India continue to rely on the use of cloth for menstrual protection.}

 ^{Experts caution that reusing cloth can increase the risk of contracting multiple infections, attributing this practice to a combination of insufficient awareness and societal taboo around menstruation.} 

^{Girls are often compelled to leave school or face social exclusion during their menstrual cycles.}

^{पेड लिव से क्या होगा ?}

^{Arguments in favour of paid leave for menstruation will claim that granting special status to menstruation would aim to create subject awareness.} 

^{But this would only magnify it.} 

^{It could turn out to be another well-meaning step, but one that ends up widening the gender gap inadvertently.}

 ^{यह एक और नेक इरादे वाला कदम साबित हो सकता है, लेकिन इससे अनजाने में लिंग अंतर बढ़ जाएगा} 

^{The case of Japan}

चालू है स्कीम फिर भी क्या क्या समस्या 

1 mostly unpaid, and unused

^{There are countries such as Japan that provide leave for painful menstruation- but it is mostly unpaid, and unused.} 

^{2 Women claim that they are reluctant to avail this leave and ‘broadcast’ that they are on their period, for the fear of sexual harassment.} 

^{3 This is the situation (today), even though this policy was introduced in Japan more than seven decades ago.} 

^{4 Data show(s) that a mere 0.9% of women in the workforce avail menstrual leave days in Japan.}

 ^{5 As per the World Economic Forum’s ranking in 2019, Japan ranked 121 out of 153 in terms of gender equality.} 

^{It has slipped to the 125th position in 2023.}

^{6  It is interesting to note that though young women in Japan have higher education levels than men,} 

^{it is in the workforce that disparities creep} 

 Women in Japan are less likely to be employed (even with the same credentials) than men, and are often paid lesser.

^{Let us assume that we have in place paid leave for periods}

1 Now comes the implementation. Who is to say when such leave would be taken rightfully, and when they would be misused?

 2 Further, who is to say which enforcement methods would be acceptable, when used by the employer?

 3 In 2020, 66 girl students in an institute in Bhuj in Kutch, Gujarat, were forced to strip to check who was menstruating.

4  This mirrors an incident in 2017 in Muzzaffarnagar, where 70 girls in a residential school were compelled to undress by staff to check for menstruation.

^{A fight that continues}

^{. The Supreme Court of India even urged the government to} 

^{🍁enable equal evaluation of women,} 

^{🍁and to have them undergo the same standards of testing as men.} 

^{In response, the government argued that women are not suitable for ground combat roles.} 

^{Women in corporate organisations are fighting for pay that is the equivalent to that drawn by their male counterparts.}

^{As a woman, I understand the issue and am empathetic towards period pain and symptoms. But I am averse to terming it a blanket biological disadvantage}

 ^{Recognising the diverse nature of menstrual experiences is essential.} 

^{Tailoring support and being accommodative on a case-by-case basis promotes inclusivity, while also addressing the individual needs of those navigating their (difficult) periods.}

^{Source the hindu}