Media outlets have erupted over the news that Spain has become the first European country to enact paid menstrual leave. The new law allows anyone with debilitating period pain to take up to three days per month of paid time off. More severe cases can be extended to five days, with all costs covered by Spain’s social security system rather than individual employers. With lawmakers focused on recognizing menstrual health as a legitimate medical issue, many people who suffer from intense periods feel seen after years of their pain being overlooked, minimized, or stigmatized. Spain’s decision pushes a long-overdue conversation about how workplaces respond to menstrual health and whose well-being is prioritized.

As Spain champions this movement, it’s difficult to ignore that menstrual leave should be a global effort.

Reasons for Paid Menstrual Leave

If you don’t experience painful periods, it can be hard to understand how difficult day-to-day tasks become. Conditions like dysmenorrhea, endometriosis, fibroids, PCOS, or heavy bleeding can cause severe pain that leaves people barely able to function. Some doctors have compared severe menstrual pain to the levels associated with heart attacks, which underscores how unrealistic it is to expect productivity under those conditions. Recognizing this in workplace policy allows people to seek care without risking lost wages, and can boost overall workplace morale. When workplaces accommodate menstrual health, employees are more likely to stay long-term and remain productive. Expecting people to perform at full capacity while managing severe menstrual symptoms places an unfair burden on those who already struggle to be believed about their pain.

Formal policy also reduces stigma by acknowledging menstruation as a legitimate health issue rather than a taboo. This helps those who suffer from painful periods feel safer naming their symptoms instead of staying quiet. Silence is part of why many hormonal disorders go undiagnosed, as people with intolerable cycles often feel pressured to accept what they’re experiencing as normal.

Decades of referring to periods as “embarrassing” or “gross” have made it harder for people to ask for help or recognize when something is wrong. The burden is placed entirely on the person menstruating, who’s expected to “plan accordingly,” “take meds,” and “not complain.” A global policy shift would reinforce that severe menstrual symptoms deserve legitimate care and acknowledgment rather than private shame. Policies like menstrual leave acknowledge that health-based accommodations support a more equitable work environment for everyone.

Countries on the Road to Paid Menstrual Leave

It’s clear that more countries could benefit from adopting paid menstrual leave. Spain joins several others with similar policies. In 2015, Zambia introduced a policy known as “Mother’s Day,” which allows one day off per month for menstruation. Labor laws in Indonesia offer two days of menstrual leave per month, while Taiwan’s Act of Gender Equality in Employment grants three days per year of menstrual leave that do not count toward regular sick leave. These policies show that menstrual health can be treated as a legitimate workplace concern when governments and employers choose to prioritize it.

As menstrual leave policies hopefully expand, it’s important to consider where uptake can fall short due to fear of disclosure, job insecurity, or logistical hurdles such as requiring a doctor’s note or diagnosis. These policies should be fair and accessible, with inclusive language that acknowledges trans men and non-binary people who menstruate. This kind of systemic change would support a wide range of people navigating real pain in real bodies while facing real gaps in workplace policy. Wider adoption of menstrual leave would signal a meaningful shift toward workplaces that respect the physical realities many people face each month.