Kenya's capital experiments with giving workers menstrual leave
ABC News
Nairobi County has introduced Kenya’s first menstrual leave policy for female government staff, aiming to boost health and productivity
NAIROBI, Kenya -- It started with a casual lunch conversation between a county governor and his cabinet ministers about a colleague's menstrual pain. The discussion led to a first in Kenya: The right for female employees to take menstrual leave.
The new policy took effect in December 2025. It grants county government employees in the capital, Nairobi, two days off every month to deal with the pain and discomfort of menstruation, with the aim of improving productivity and well-being.
Governor Johnson Sakaja told The Associated Press that Kenya's national government has expressed interest in how it goes, and other county governors have as well.
“Your biggest asset is your staff,” said Sakaja, who shepherded the new practice and oversees a government where more than half of the 18,000 employees are women. “It starts with dignifying your own staff, for them to feel that they’re respected and dignified.”
There has been little public objection. Critics have said the policy could discourage employers from hiring more women, but Sakaja disagreed, saying he believes that women perform better than men when they are supported.
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