Should we implement paid leave for menstrual pain?

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In the UK, menstrual pain is the leading cause of absenteeism among women, with an estimated 5.3 million days of work lost each year due to period-related symptoms? (The Guardian, 2018). This not only impacts individual productivity and income, but it also has a significant economic cost for businesses and the UK economy as a whole.

Globally, it is estimated that over 800 million people menstruate each day, and yet many still face challenges in accessing menstrual products and managing their symptoms. In some countries, menstrual stigma and taboos are so pervasive that individuals may be forced to miss school or work, or even be ostracized from their communities during their periods (UNFPA, 2020).

However, there are also some positive trends in menstrual health and advocacy. For example, Scotland recently became the first country in the world to make menstrual products free for all, recognizing that access to these products is a basic human right (BBC News, 2020). And in the US, a growing number of states are introducing legislation to eliminate the "tampon tax" - a sales tax on menstrual products that has been criticized as a form of gender-based discrimination (CNN, 2021).

While the question of whether to implement paid leave for menstrual periods is a complex one, it is clear that menstrual health and equity are increasingly being recognized as important issues that require attention and action.