Sometimes, elections throw up an acceptance of and solutions to deeply institutionalised gender biases and discrimination against women. In the run-up to the general election 2024, the election manifesto of the ruling political party in Tamil Nadu, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), has made a promise (under the topic “Women’s welfare”) that the “DMK will insist that the Union government enact a law providing menstrual leave to women, emphasizing the journey towards gender equality.” This promise has been made after a debate in the 17th Lok Sabha, in December 2023, on menstrual leave, but with no outcome.
Legislators and Bills
In December 2021, S. Jothimani, Congress Member of Parliament (MP) from Tamil Nadu, had introduced a Private Member Bill named, ‘Right to Menstrual Hygiene and Paid Leave Bill, 2019’, which sought to bring menstrual leave into the ambit of the rights of a woman, and a refusal of such leave into the domain of The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013. It also sought to impose a penalty for refusal.
