Following a campaign by the Northern Labour Network, the Ministry of Labour has ordered the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare to send letters to employers encouraging them to offer menstrual leave and free period products to their employees.

The letter, dated to 7 May, states that the Ministry ordered the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare to act on proposals made by the Network on International Migrants Day, one of which was a demand for paid menstrual leave and free period products in the workplace to improve the quality of life for women in the workforce.

In response, the Department has asked that its provincial offices encourage employers to provide paid menstrual leave and free period products to promote reproductive health for their women workers.

The Northern Labour Network posted on its Facebook page that it considered the Ministry’s order a lobbying success, noting that it had been campaigning for the past three years along with the Women Workers for Justice Group for paid menstrual leave.

It noted that network businesses had been allowing their employees to take menstrual leave for the past 5 years. Employees reportedly only took leave when necessary and workflows have not been affected.

It added that, since the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare’s order is only asking employers to voluntarily make the leave available, it will continue to campaign until these rights are enshrined in laws as exist in other countries.