Despite living in one of the most wealthiest nations in the world, & one that considers itself a leader in social equality & human rights, the UK employment law still does not recognise the importance of allowing women who experience extreme menstrual symptoms to take time off work. 

Menstrual symptoms are not something one can ignore – for some women, the pain can be debilitating and the ability to concentrate on work is quite impossible. I myself, have been diagnosed after many years, with PCOS and possibly endometriosis (medical issue linked to menstrual cycle) which causes symptoms like; strong cramps, bowel problems, leg pain/numbness, cysts, and extreme weakness. To make matters worse, such medical conditions such as PCOS linked to painful periods, affects 3.5 million women in the UK, and endometriosis affects 1.5 million woman In the UK & takes years from onset of symptoms to get a diagnosis.

In Indonesia employees are granted 2 days of menstrual leave each month; Zambia, menstrual policy state that women are allowed one day off a month and can even prosecute employers if this leave is denied. There are a few more countries in Asia where menstrual leave has been implemented. Yet in the UK, it’s completely invisible and unspoken off. 

A survey by ‘Bupa’ in December 2017 aimed to find out about how women felt when working on their period. 2,000 women were surveyed at the time, 23% confessed to taking time off work due to their period in the last 6 months, & 36% did not tell the truth about why they took time off work. 50% of woman surveyed admitted they did not feel  comfortable talking about their period as a reason for taking time off & 67% agreed they would feel comfortable to be honest about their symptoms if their manager were a female.

Overall, the case for menstrual leave is compelling and we can’t deny the fact that women deserve the right to take time off work when suffering to such an extent.
It is simply quite embarrassing that the UK government system has not yet implemented a paid menstrual leave OR any sort of plan for working woman who suffer from extreme period pains that is out of their control. 
It is 2021, and the idea of people who experience a menstrual cycle is still a ‘taboo’ subject. We need change. I urge the government to look into this, and to finally make a change.