Spain’s ‘period leave’ risks stigmatising women, say unions

FEMINISTS said Spain’s plans to grant “period pain leave” to women who suffer from severe menstrual pain could “stigmatise” them in the workforce.

The government yesterday approved a reform that will grant women leave from work for as many days as they need. It had been reported that leave would be capped at three days per month but the final government plan includes no limit to entitlement.

Campaigners have now raised concerns that the new rule could disadvantage women trying to find work.

“We cannot stigmatise women again, putting the focus on us as we have leave because we are on our period,” said Cristina Antoñanzas, vice-secretary general of Spain’s UGT labour union.

But Carolina Vidal López, head of equality for women at work for the CCOO labour union, said: “It is about recognising that right for those who suffer incapacitating pain and who until now had to put up with it at work.”

Spain is the first country in Europe to bring in such a law.