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by Admin
16 February 2026 5:45 AM
In a landmark move for Europe, Spain has recently passed a law granting individuals with particularly painful menstrual cycles the right to take paid "menstrual leave" from work.
The legislation is part of a wider package addressing sexual and reproductive rights, including the ability for anyone 16 years and older to obtain an abortion or change their gender on official identification.
Under the new law, those with debilitating periods that result in severe cramps, nausea, dizziness, and vomiting may take up to three days of menstrual leave, with the possibility of extending it to five days, provided they have a doctor's note. The public social security system will cover the cost of this leave. The law aims to challenge the persistent stereotypes and misconceptions surrounding menstruation that have hindered women's lives.
Irene Montero, the Equality Minister, and a vocal feminist in the left-wing government, called it a "historic day of progress for feminist rights."
However, the policy has faced opposition from politicians, trade unions, and others who fear it could stigmatize women in the workplace and create additional challenges for hiring them. Spain joins a handful of countries, including Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia, South Korea, and Zambia, that offer menstrual leave.
The debates surrounding menstrual leave policies worldwide are often contentious, as there are concerns over whether such policies support or hinder women's work lives. The Spanish Gynaecology and Obstetrics Society reports that approximately a third of menstruating women experience severe pain, known as dysmenorrhea, with symptoms such as acute abdominal pain, diarrhea, headaches, and fever.
The law also mandates free feminine hygiene products in certain public facilities, such as schools and prisons, as well as a new paid prepartum leave from the 36th week of pregnancy until childbirth, access to free contraceptives and the morning-after pill, and a prohibition on surrogacy, which is deemed a form of violence against women.
