Spain passed a pioneering law in Europe allowing sick leave for painful and disabling periods.

Spain for the first time recognizes women’s right to leave work for menstruation painful and disabling, as reflected in the reform of the abortion law, which was approved by the Congress of Deputies this Thursday and became a pioneer in this matter in Europe.

Passed by 185 votes to 154 with 3 abstentions, this law makes Spain in one of the few in the world who provided for this measure, in imitation of Japan, Indonesia and Zambia.

The text of the law says that “the sick leave, on which a woman may be in case of menstruation secondary disabling disease or secondary dysmenorrhea associated with pathologies such as endometriosis.

“It is about addressing this pathological situation adequately to remove any negative workplace bias,” adds the law, which does not specify how long this sick leave will last.

In addition, the new law proposes to combat menstrual poverty, and in this sense, it commits to provide free menstrual hygiene products – tampons, pads or menstrual cups – in educational centers, prisons and social centers for women in vulnerable situations.

The “menstrual holiday” has drawn reservations from the socialist part of the government and is being criticized by the UGT (General Union of Workers) as they believe it could stop the hiring of women or risk being “marginalized” and “stigmatized”. “.

abortion at 16

New Law on abortion ends with parental consent for minors under the age of 16 and 17, as the age of majority is 18 in Spaina requirement that was introduced in 2015 by the government of the conservative People’s Party, which is now the main opposition group.

IN Spain free abortion is possible during the first 14 weeks of pregnancy, in exceptional cases up to 22 weeks, when there is a serious risk to the life or health of the pregnant woman or a risk of serious fetal anomalies, and then only in connection with incompatible fetal anomalies with life or an extremely serious and incurable disease.

The new regulation also removes the obligation to inform women about the maternity benefit and the reflection period three days before interrupt.

Forced sterilization and contraception, abortion forced labor and surrogacy are included in the category of violence and to prevent surrogacy, which is illegal in Spainadvertising of intermediary agencies is prohibited.

The approval came shortly after the Spanish Constitutional Court approved the law abortion 2010, approved by the government of the socialist José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, which was challenged over twelve years ago by the conservatives and which will now replace the new law.

In 2021, the last year according to official data, they were held in Spain 90,189 voluntary abortions, the vast majority in private centres.

trans law

For its part, the so-called transgender law was passed after overcoming differences between government partners, the socialist party PSOE and the left-wing organization United We Can.

The new law recognizes the desire of a person from the age of 16 as the only requirement for a sex change in the vital records, excluding mandatory hormones and psychological and medical assessments as requirements.

Minors between the ages of 16 and 14 can change their gender on the registry if they arrive with their parents or legal guardians, while those between the ages of 12 and 14 will need court permission.

The socialist part of the government defended that minors under the age of 16 should have judicial authorization, although a text promoted by his partner was eventually adopted.

Gender reassignment men will not be able to get away with sexist violence because the legal obligations that any person had prior to gender reassignment will be preserved.

The law also regulates cases of genital modification in minors, only allowing it when medically warranted and if it is considered mature to do so, once countries like Sweden review similar rules, greatly expanding the practice amid criticism of its irreversibility on the part of people who repented as an adult.

(According to EFE and AFP)

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