Cuttack:: Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida has announced one-day paid menstrual leave for state government and private sector women employees in the state.
Shrimati Parida, who is handling women and child development department, announced this after attending the district-level Independence Day celebration in Cuttack.
The women employees can avail the leave on the first or second day of the menstrual cycle. “It will be optional,” she said.
Odisha become the third state after Kerala and Bihar to announce such a leave for the women employees. Kerala government had also granted menstrual leave for female students in all state universities under the Department of Higher Education.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Government has also started consultation to provide one-day paid menstrual leave for those working in factories, information technology, garment sectors, and multi-national companies where several lakh women are employed.
An Odia girl had raised her voice seeking paid leave during periods at the United Nations Civil Society Conference 2024 held in Nairobi, Kenya.
Ranjita Priyadarshini, a woman activist from Odisha, had also drew the attention of all the delegates at the international conference regarding paid leave for women during menstruation.
She argued that women across the world suffer due to the physical pain during their menstruation at work.
This decision of the State Government has been welcomed and lauded by working women across the state.