Spanish Equal Opportunities Minister Irene Montero (of the radical left Podemos party) will present the law to the Council of Ministers next Tuesday. Under the bill, female workers would be given three to five days of sick leave every month because of menstrual pain. Schools and prisons, among others, must also offer menstrual products, such as sanitary towels and tampons, free of charge. The VAT on those products, which is currently still ten percent, will also be abolished.
The government also wants to give pregnant women a month’s leave before giving birth. Female employees who want to interrupt their pregnancy will soon be entitled to three to five days of sick leave. With the reform, 16 and 17-year-olds no longer need parental consent to have the medical procedure performed. The proposed law will also include stricter rules around surrogacy, which is banned in Spain.
While the law is currently under negotiation, it would make Spain the first European country to grant women the right to menstrual leave. Globally, the measure is in effect in a small number of countries, including Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia, South Korea and Zambia.
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