ITANAGAR, 12 Mar: A day after the Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly saw a vexed discussion on menstrual leave, the Arunachal Pradesh Women’s Welfare Society (APWWS) has expressed displeasure at the way the discussion on menstrual leave for women was carried out in the legislative assembly on Friday.
“The members of the august house, even if they had disagreed with the private member’s resolution on grant of leave to menstruating girls and women, should have approached the subject with dignity and understanding,” the APWWS stated in a release.
“Using unparliamentarily words to describe a biological process shows ignorance and disrespect to girls and women. Menstruation is not a taboo. As a mother NGO, the APWWS advises the honourable members to be more mindful of the words they use in the august house,” it added.
The APWWS further requested the legislative assembly speaker to expunge the word “litra” from the records.
A private member resolution had been moved in the assembly by Congress MLA Ninong Ering, seeking leave for menstruating girls and women.
Responding to the resolution, Women & Child Development Minister Alo Libang told the assembly that a decision on granting a day’s menstrual leave to women will be taken in the state after a discussion in the matter is held with stakeholders.
Libang said that his department, in coordination with the health and education officials, would discuss the matter with the Arunachal Pradesh State Commission for Women and other organisations.
He said that women legislators would also be consulted before a decision is arrived at.
Ering had pointed out that countries such as Italy and Japan and the Indian states of Kerala and Bihar have made such provisions for women.
Ering later withdrew the resolution.
