advertisement
Weeks after a Mumbai-based media startup Culture Machine announced that it was providing an option to its women employees to take off on their first day of period, a Malayalam media outlet has followed suit.
On Wednesday, Malayalam media giant Mathrubhumi decided to provide period leave to its women employees, which will come into effect immediately.
Also Read: Why Period Leave Is a Regressive Idea
Confirming the news, Mathrubhumi's Joint Managing Director MV Shreyams Kumar told The News Minute that it was after the Mumbai-based firm implemented the practice, that they decided to adopt it.
While period leave exists in countries like Indonesia, Japan, and South Korea, it is a new concept in India. Many women themselves have mixed feelings about it, with the major concern being that this might lead to further discrimination against women when it comes to hiring and promotions.
Others, however, have pointed out that equality is not to be confused with sameness and that there are several women who do have painful periods and need such an option.
Currently, the provision has been implemented in Mathrubhumi News. It will be adopted in Mathrubhumi News Online and newspaper soon, the MD said.
Many women employees working with Mathrubhumi News took to social media to announce the news. A woman employee wrote on Facebook that she was proud to be an employee of Mathrubhumi News, which has now become the first organisation in the state to implement the period leave.
Another woman employee wrote:
(This article was originally published in The News Minute)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)