From Legal Rights to Social Acceptance: The Place of Menstrual Leave in Working Life

In recent years, awareness regarding women’s health has grown significantly, particularly in terms of its impact on working life. Regulations addressing physiological processes such as menstruation have come to the forefront for their role in promoting both individual well-being and workplace productivity. Scientific research shows that painful menstruation (dysmenorrhea) affects approximately 50–90% of women of reproductive age, with 10–15% experiencing symptoms so severe that they are unable to carry out daily activities or work responsibilities. A large-scale study conducted in the United Kingdom reported that 19% of women had experienced severe menstrual pain within the past year, while 40% reported excessive bleeding. These symptoms were found to be more prevalent among women aged 16–24. Such data demonstrate that menstrual pain is not merely a physiological condition, but a phenomenon with direct implications for quality of life and workforce participation.

The performance loss and challenging conditions created by this situation have brought menstrual leave demands onto the agenda in many countries. Spain became the first country in Europe to legislate on this matter. The law, which came into effect in 2023, grants women experiencing painful periods the right to take three to five days of paid leave per month with a doctor’s note. However, in the first 11 months of implementation, only an average of 4.75 women per day made use of this right. The main reasons for this low uptake include concerns over stigma, privacy issues, and the restriction of the right to those with severe symptoms. Similarly, although menstrual leave has been legally recognized in Japan since 1947, only 0.9% of women take advantage of it. In other Asian countries such as Taiwan and Indonesia, similar regulations have been in place for decades, yet usage rates remain low due to employer attitudes and societal prejudices.

These figures show that legal regulations alone are insufficient; social acceptance is equally important. The issue is also discussed within the framework of gender equality. Some argue that rights like menstrual leave should be expanded to cover other physiological needs, while others claim that such practices could constitute discrimination against male employees. For a lasting and fair solution, a comprehensive social awareness program should be implemented from childhood onward, teaching that menstruation is not a disease but a natural part of human physiology while acknowledging that it can be painful and lead to productivity loss. In this way, the health and productivity of female employees can be protected, and gender-based prejudices in the workplace can be reduced.