Umamah Bakharia | ub@radioislam.co.za

2 min read
17 February 2023 | 17:00 CAT

Spain has become the first  European country that has approved legislation that entitles workers to pain menstrual leave while also expanding abortion and transgender rights for teenagers.

Picture: NewsByte

Equality minister Irene Montero – who belongs to the junior member in Spain’s left-wing coalition government, the “United We Can” Party- has been the anchor to these two laws being passed.

Period products will now be offered free in schools and prisons, while state-run health centres will supply free hormonal contraceptives and the morning-after pill.

The menstrual leave will allow workers suffering from unbearable period pain to take paid time off.

Meanwhile, changes announced on Thursday to sexual and reproductive rights means that 16- and 17-year-olds in Spain can now undergo an abortion without parental consent.

Currently, more than 80% of termination procedures in Spain are performed in private clinics due to an increased number of doctors in public hospitals refusing to perform termination procedures – citing religious reasons.

However, under the new system, state hospital doctors will not be forced to carry out abortions if they have already registered their objections in writing to the council.

The three initiatives have been rejected by the right-wing opposition parties which form Spain’s main opposition bloc.