Zambia Declares Compulsory One Day Holiday For Women During Their Period

The Zambian government have declared a compulsory one day holiday for women who are menstruating. A provision in the country's work laws allows women to take one day a month off during their monthly period. The BBC reports that the leave, known as known as 'Mother’s Day' applies to all women, regardless of whether they are mothers or not. The controversial move has sparked global debate. Ndekela Mazimba, who works in public relations and doesn't have children, told the BBC:

"You might find that on the first day of your menses, you'll have stomach cramps - really bad stomach cramps. You can take whatever painkillers but end up in bed the whole day. And sometimes, you find that someone is irritable before her menses start, but as they progress, it gets better. So, in my case, it's just the first day to help when the symptoms are really bad."

However, many feel that the day off is uncalled for. Mutinta Musokotwane-Chikopela, who has three children and a full-time job in marketing, claims that the labour law encourages laziness:

"I don't believe in it and I don't take it. Menses are a normal thing in a woman's body; it's like being pregnant or childbirth. I think women take advantage of that, especially that there's no way of proving that you are on your menses or not. The problem in Zambia is that we have too many holidays - including a holiday for national prayers. So I guess Mother's Day makes those that love holidays happy."

Zambian women are not required to give prior notice of their absence from work, but can simply phone in on the day to notify their supervisor that they are taking Mother's Day. The African nation's Labour Minister Joyce Nonde-Simukoko, says that the monthly day off was informally observed in the 1990s before eventually being formally brought into law. She warns women thinking of abusing the privilege:

"If you absent yourself yet you are found in a disco house, then it will not be taken as Mother's Day. You shouldn't even leave town, be found doing your hair or shopping. You can be fired. For example, somebody was found farming after taking Mother's Day and she was fired."

I wonder how many Irish women would be found in a disco house if the day off applied here... Do you think Irish women should be entitled to leave during their periods? Would the system be abused here? Let us know your opinions in the Facebook comments.