Kerala Plans Monthly Menstrual Leave for Schoolgirls Under ‘Menstrual Dignity’ Drive

The Kerala government on Friday announced a series of women- and child-focused welfare measures, including a proposal to grant up to three days of monthly menstrual leave for schoolgirls , as part of its broader “Project Menstrual Dignity” initiative.

The announcement was made in the policy address of the new government led by Chief Minister V D Satheesan and read out by Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar in the State Assembly.

According to the address, the government plans to introduce menstrual leave for school students along with weekend catch-up classes to ensure girls do not fall behind academically. The initiative aims to make educational institutions and public spaces more inclusive and supportive for women and girls.

The government also proposed mandatory high-quality daycare centres and creches in all public offices, industrial establishments, IT parks, and workplaces employing more than 50 people, in line with provisions under the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961.

In another major announcement, Kerala said it would work towards becoming India’s first “orphan-free” state through adoption drives and a network of trained foster families under the Juvenile Justice Act framework.

The policy address further promised equal pay for women , expansion of public restroom facilities, welfare support for women in the unorganised sector, and six months of maternity leave for women workers outside the formal workforce.

The proposals come at a time when menstrual health is slowly entering mainstream education and labour policy debates across India, with increasing attention on dignity, workplace inclusion, and the long-term impact of absenteeism among girls and women.