India has no plans to provide menstrual leave

The Indian government currently has no plans to provide its central government employees with menstrual leave. 

India’s Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani has said that currently, central government employees do not have provisions for menstrual leave and there are also no proposals being examined to include such leave in regulations, reports The Hindu. 

So far, various types of leaves are already available to women government employees, which include earned leave, half-pay leave, extraordinary leave, child care leave, commuted leave, maternity leave, leave on medical certificate and leave not due, she said. 

Currently, women employees of public offices also have access to sanitary napkins at a subsidised rate, she added. 

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However, some private companies in India have provided their employees with such leave. This includes online food delivery company Swiggy and Zomato, digital media platform Magzter and Culture Machine and feminine hygiene products maker Wet & Dry Personal Care, among others.