Around the world, women and their allies have been working for years to get support for menstruation in the form of supplies, but also leave from work - preferably paid - when workers are having problems with painful periods. In India, politicians thought the subject too dirty to deal with; but their Supreme Court has at least recognized the need. On the other hand, communities in the state of Orisha continue to have an annual 3-day holiday celebration of menstruation in mid-June, when women are honoured and get time off from work. Speakers: Ranjeeta Priyadarshini, a former metal worker, now a law student who campaigns nationwide for paid period leave in India; Sociology professor at the National University of Law, Dr Rita Roy; Tapaswini, a metal industry worker from Odisha state; Akansha Mishra, a law student from Rajasthan state; and Pallavi, a factory worker. Women who menstruate make up about 30% of the workforce in India.
Music in the program is from the annual festival. Documentary Producer, Kalpana Pradhan; Series Editor for WINGS and partial narrator on this show, Frieda Werden.
WINGS: Women's International News Gathering Service has been covering the global women's movement for international community radio since 1986. Contact: wings@wings.org
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