Menstrual leave debated online but experts give it a thumbs up

NEW DELHI/SURAT: Zomato’s announcement that it would provide an annual 10-day “menstrual leaves” to women and transgender people has triggered a debate over the feasibility of the idea, with some claiming that it was discriminatory against men. On Sunday, a Surat-based digital marketing firm, iVIPANAN, also announced a 12-day leave for similar reasons for its staff members.
Experts, however, have welcomed the move, saying it would dispel the stigma around periods, which still remains a taboo in many parts of the country.
“Some people have been claiming that it’s an outlandish idea, but the Bihar government has successfully implemented such leaves since 1992,” said Shalini Jha, the founder of Project Alhar, which works on generating menstrual awareness in Bihar’s Bhagalpur district.
Zomato, one of India’s biggest restaurant aggregators, made the announcement on Saturday. The company released a blog by CEO Deepinder Goyal, which stated that menstruators “can now rightfully avail 10 extra leaves compared to men.”
On the heels Zomato, a Surat-based digital marketing firm has made a similar announcement. Bhautik Sheth, founder of iVIPANAN announced 12 days of period leave per year for its female staff.