Let alone menstrual leave, these women do not have access to even washrooms or sanitary pads

Although the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike inaugurated Suvidha cabins or restrooms for women civic workers in January 2022, more than a year later, women pourkarmikas say they have no access to these cabins

While corporate companies and others in the organised sector are debating about providing menstrual leave to working women, for lakhs working in the unorganised sector, even access to bathrooms, let alone hygienic ones, still seems like a luxury. Lack of affordable menstrual products, strenuous physical labour even on menstruating days and problems in dealing with male managers are some of the other problems these women face.

Although the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) had inaugurated Suvidha cabins or restrooms for women civic workers in January 2022, more than a year later, women pourkarmikas said they had no access to these cabins. Hence, during their menstrual cycle, many of them are forced to go to vacant sites or to the space between parked vehicles to change their sanitary pads.

“Those who have their houses nearby can go and change there. But even for that, we need to take permission from supervisors. There is no question of taking leave on those days as we cannot afford to lose our pay. We have no place to get drinking water or eat our food or use the washroom facilities. Despite repeated complaints to the BBMP, we have still not received the keys to the restrooms,” said Chandrakala R., a pourkarmika in the Herohalli ward.

In many households, domestic workers are told not to touch certain things, or not to go near some places (and in some cases, not even come to work) on menstruating days. When a woman takes more than three days of menstrual leave, they are taunted and shouted at, the workers reported.

“Even though the workers clean those bathrooms, they are not allowed to use them, even during periods. If they get their period while on the way to the workplace or at the workplace, they are helpless. Menstrual issues are not just physical problems; they mental problems,” said Radha, of the Domestic Workers’ Rights Union (DWRU).

She added that even in apartments where separate toilets are built for security guards and domestic workers, they cannot use them as they are always dirty and stinky.

Unless the supervisor provides a small washroom on the construction site, many workers still carry water in a plastic box and go to open spaces to attend to nature’s call. Menstrual days are no exception. These women also have no access to sanitary pads or any other menstrual products and end up using cloths.