Menstruation not 'handicap', Smriti Irani opposes 'paid leave policy'

In a written response submitted in the upper house on Wednesday, Irani acknowledged that a small proportion of women and girls suffer from severe dysmenorrhea or similar complaints, and most cases are manageable by medication.

Irani addressed the societal challenges associated with menstruation, noting the silence, shame, and social taboos that often restrict mobility, freedom, and access to normal activities for menstruating individuals, leading to harassment and social exclusion. She emphasised the sensitivity of the issue, especially for those facing their menstrual cycle for the first time.

“...The issue of menstruation and its associated activities are surrounded by silence, often treated with shame and associated with social taboos that restrict mobility, freedom and access to normal activities for menstruating persons, and many a times leads to their harassment and social exclusion. It becomes even more sensitive, when a girl/ menstruating person is unaware of the changes that she undergoes emotionally and physically, while facing her menstrual cycle for the first time,” she said.

Furthermore, Irani informed the Rajya Sabha, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has formulated a draft menstrual hygiene policy in consultation with stakeholders.

The Centre already implements a scheme for the promotion of menstrual hygiene among girls in the 10-19 age group, she told the House. The scheme is supported by the National Health Mission through the State Programme Implementation Plan route, based on the proposals received from the states or Union Territories. One of the major objectives of the scheme is to increase awareness on menstrual hygiene, Irani said.

Under the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao component of Mission Shakti — an umbrella scheme for safety, security and empowerment of women implemented by the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development — raising awareness about menstrual hygiene is one of the key areas, she added.