Few companies have implemented time off for women who suffer during their period. Initiatives welcomed by the Prime Minister, who says she wants to encourage all companies to follow the example. How? The government “is looking at the device”, according to Elisabeth Borne.
Asked about France 2 on a possible generalization of menstrual leave as in Spain, the head of government insisted on the need to “pay attention to words”, because “when you have women who suffer every month”, as in the case of endometriosis, “we are not talking about holidays”. These women “must not resign themselves to having pain, you have to go see a doctor because it could be an illness” and, “in this case, there are treatments and you can have work stoppages”, she insisted.
But “if the employer can organize itself to make life easier, that’s a good thing and we are looking at how we can encourage, actually facilitate the commitment of companies”, added Elisabeth Borne.
Ongoing bills
Ecologist and socialist deputies are preparing bills to try to create menstrual leave, a few months after the adoption of this device in Spain. “We will be able to decide” when the proposals have been submitted “and that we will have visibility on their content”, explained to AFP Isabelle Rome, the Minister Delegate for Equality between Women and Men.
In January, the government launched a national strategy to combat endometriosis, with a research program endowed with several million euros.