Menstrual leave, an adequate one work and health protection and intervene on waiting lists: these are the three main proposals of the association “The voice of one is the voice of all”, the voluntary organization for the early diagnosis and treatment ofendometriosis and for benefits for people affected by it.
Initiatives that the association wishes to promote, relaunching the main contents of an enabling law proposal, of which the first signatory was Stefania Ascari of the M5S, who just over a year ago saw her path in Parliament interrupted despite her significant contribution provided by the association itself when formulating the proposal.
The key points of the enabling law
The organization underlined the importance of reconsidering the proposal, saying: “We ask that the 3 million women who suffer from endometriosis be given an opportunity.”
It is a silent disease, with diagnoses often delayed for up to twenty years in extreme cases. Endometriosis is characterized by the presence of endometrial-like tissue outside the uterine cavity, with possible inflammatory consequences involving the pelvic and abdominal organs. This pathology can manifest itself as early as the first menstruation and persist until menopause. The association's representatives highlighted that people affected by endometriosis often do not feel understood, as their pain is underestimated. This underestimation, combined with the delay in diagnosis, can cause mental disorders such as anxiety, depression, sleep disorders and, in the most serious cases, suicidal ideation.
This condition is also often associated with infertility, and patients must face intense hormonal therapies, the consequences of which often involve debilitating side effects. Therefore, it is necessary to relaunch the proposal with particular attention to several crucial points:
- The introduction of menstrual leave for dysmenorrhea, which provides paid leave for three days a month to allow women to abstain from work during menstruation days.
- The prediction of specific guarantees for people suffering from endometriosiswho are often victims of mobbing because they have to frequently be absent from work due to the serious symptoms linked to the pathology.
- The establishment, by the Ministry of Health, of a endometriosis observatory to monitor cases at a national level and ensure better management of the disease.
- The preparation, again by the Ministry of Health, of priority waiting lists for medically assisted procreation paths and for specific surgical interventions for endometriosis; a particularly important point to avoid the progression of symptoms and prevent damage related to it.
What is the first company that introduced endometriosis leave
Endometriosis is being talked about more and more, from social media to TV. Yet, it amazes you that even today only one in two women knows her. It is also surprising that when asked whether it is true or false that endometriosis is easy to diagnose, only 35 percent answer that it is false.
These are data from research commissioned to SWG in March by Carrefourthe first company to have introduced a policy for endometriosis from 2022: one day a month of paid leaveupon presentation of a medical certificate to the personnel management.
“We also want to open a dialogue with institutions and associations to take a path together, which helps to overcome the stigma on this issue through the introduction of tools that help to face with greater serenity a health problem that influences daily working life and which guarantee equal opportunities between men and women in the workplace”, said Paola Accornero, general secretary and HR director of Carrefour Italia.
But it also made the news when in 2022 a Venetian company, the Ormesani Srl, provided its employees with the possibility of taking a sick day in the event of a particularly painful menstrual cycle and potentially caused by endometriosis. After an internal survey, the Venetian company that deals with logistics, shipping and customs operations decided to introduce the initiative, which started in August.
