190 MPs voted in favor of the left-wing government’s plan, while 154 Conservative MPs voted in favor with five abstentions. The draft of the Ministry of Equal Opportunities has been forwarded to the Senate, which also has to approve it.
If the House of Lords decides to make changes to the bill, which also aims to remove barriers to the exercise of abortion rights, the House of Commons will have to reconsider the issue. Equal Opportunities Minister Irene Montero (Unidas Podemos) said on Thursday during the parliamentary debate that menstruation is no longer a social taboo.
Spain would be the first country in Europe to give women with menstrual pain the right to stay at home as long as the pain persists. The salary must be paid by the state from day one. To get time off from work, the affected woman should see a doctor.
The draft “Sexual Health Act” also provides for easier access to abortions. In the future, they should also be possible in public clinics. In addition, it is the intention that minors from the age of 16 no longer need permission from their parents for an abortion. Another facility aims to reduce “poverty caused by menstruation” by providing free hygiene items to needy women.
(SDA)