Question : Menstruation Benefits to Women Employees

(a) whether women employees are provided any menstruation benefits or entitled to any menstrual leave and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether female students are entitled to menstrual leave in schools and educational institutions and if so, the details thereof;

(c) the rest and recreation facilities provided by the employer organisations to women employees during their menstruation;

(d) whether the Government proposes to introduce any legislation on paid menstrual leaves and if so, the details thereof; and

(e) the steps taken by the Government to ensure menstrual health of women at the work place

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
(DR. VIRENDRA KUMAR)

(a) to (e) There is no such proposal for grant of any menstrual leave or introduction of any legislation in this regard. However, under the centrally sponsored scheme of Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA), activities such as adolescent health awareness programme for girls, provision of separate toilet blocks for girls as part of schools and installation of incinerator machine and sanitary napkin & vending machine for girls at schools and girl’s hostels are undertaken for general hygiene management. National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has developed syllabus on health and physical education for classes I-XII as a follow up of National Curriculum Framework, 2005, which provides adequate space for menstrual hygiene.

Ministry of Health and family Welfare is implementing the scheme for Promotion of Menstrual Hygiene for Adolescent Girls residing primarily in rural areas of the country. Adolescent girls are provided with sanitary napkins at subsidized rates by Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA’s) within the community and through the platform of Government and Government aided school. Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation has also developed National Guidelines on Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) which aims to support all adolescent girls and women.

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