A Bloody Controversy
Menstrual Leave in Indonesia
Description:... Across the world 'menstrual leave' is on the rise as an innovative response to menstrual pain and stigma in the workplace. But what does it mean for women and gender equality at work? The idea of menstrual leave is hotly contested in every country and region in which it has been implemented, including Southeast Asia, with academics and policymakers divided over its ability to support or undermine workplace gender equality. One reason menstrual leave is so contentious is the lack of empirical evidence on its impact, making it unclear whether this policy offers progressive outcomes for women at work. These fault lines are particularly apparent in Indonesia, where menstrual leave has been legislated since 1948 but is a source of ongoing controversy due to its contribution to workplace discrimination and harassment, and its role in polarising women across the class divide. As such, Indonesia offers important lessons on the potential risks and benefits of menstrual leave from a gender perspective, while also highlighting the context-specific drivers of this policy, including inadequate workplace sanitation and 'protective' government responses to women in the workplace. Applying a gender lens to menstrual leave in this context helps to reveal its possible impact on women at work, particularly for women engaged in different types of work, as well as complex government and employer attitudes toward women in the workforce. As menstrual leave continues to gain traction in the global labour market, this case study underscores the importance of a contextual approach, while also engaging with the broader tensions that make this policy a 'bloody controversy' in Indonesia and abroad.
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