Is Menstrual Leave Improvising the Social Psychology towards Women Employees’ Basic Human Right

Abstract

Menstruation cycle is one of the fundamental and distinguish biological characteristic of women. Studies on women health show that almost every woman faces certain health issue whether mental or physical during this menstrual periods viz. stomach-ache, headache, thy ache, fever, breast-pain-swelling, vomit-impulses, itching, mood-swing, irritation, lack of appetite, etc. And, these all symptoms are in addition to constant blood-flow for on and average three to five days. It may be twice in a month to some woman or to every woman during certain period of age or illness. This was one of the post covid-19 impacts on women health that they observed some abnormalities in their menstrual cycle or flow.

Women have always been found in every socio-cultural research studies more sensitive. Surprisingly; her sensitivity never compelled her to spare or claim an extra holiday to have rest during menstrual cycle from her family, society or from the legal system in which she has been living as citizen. If they could have been so sensitive towards their own biological unique features, surely they could have a rest day since time immemorial because the menstrual characteristics are as old as the human evolution itself.

She did not ask any relaxation, does not mean she did not suffer pain or she did not observe health crisis during menstruation. Of course, she does. But, as a community fellow, we did not ever notice their pain, grief, sufferings and their expectations of care during such period.  Even in 21^st century, not much has been talked about it. In fact, a blood stain on the cloth of women is still a matter of shame for her and for the next fellow either inside home or in public. We hesitate in discussing women menstrual issues in public. The privacy sense of society towards menstruation can be understood by a fact that the name of one of the sanitary pads is given as ‘Whisper’.

Though it’s already too late but distance doesn’t matter, it’s always the first step towards a right decision; that matters. This paper is an empirical study to analyse and describe the issues and challenges related to women menstrual cycle and to look forward what appropriate legal redressal can be provided to them especially to working women in India.

 Key Words: Working Women, Menstrual-Health Issues, Menstrual-leave, Constitutional Framework, Human-rights, etc.