Whispers & silence: What women in Guwahati workplaces endure every month

On Menstrual Hygiene Day, the conversation around women in the workplace has moved well beyond whether they deserve period leave. The more pressing question is whether offices are equipped to support women through something as natural as menstruation in the first place.

Across Guwahati, many working women say the problem begins long before leave policies enter the picture. It begins in the washroom or the lack of one nearby. It begins when a sanitary product is needed urgently and there is none in sight.

It begins when a dustbin has no lid, a disposal system does not exist, or pain demands a moment away from the desk but embarrassment makes that impossible.

In March this year, the Supreme Court declined to mandate menstrual leave for working women and female students, observing that compulsory provisions could unintentionally discourage employers from hiring women.

Similar concerns had earlier been raised by former Union Minister Smriti Irani, who argued that menstruation should not be treated as a “handicap”.

But for women navigating workplaces every day, the larger concern is often not special treatment, it is basic dignity.

Several workplaces still lack basic menstrual hygiene support for women.

Swagata Bora, founder of a Guwahati-based startup, believes menstrual hygiene infrastructure remains one of the most neglected aspects of workplace culture.

“I agree that basic hygiene infrastructure is still lacking in many Guwahati workplaces and needs urgent attention. Though we’re a growing start-up without extensive facilities, we’ve made conscious efforts to ensure dignity and comfort, like placing dustbins in washrooms,” she said.

She says these are small but meaningful interventions that do not require large budgets or elaborate policies. “Practical steps like proper disposal facilities shouldn’t have to wait for institutional reforms,” Bora added.

For many women, however, even these basics remain unavailable.

Shabnam Nehar, who worked at a Guwahati-based ad agency, says menstruation at her previous workplace was something women were expected to “manage quietly”.

“There were no sanitary pads available in the office. In emergencies, we had to figure things out ourselves. Even disposal wasn’t handled properly. Some girls had to use a common dustbin in the bathroom. It was uncomfortable and unhygienic,” she recalled.

According to her, there was little room for flexibility or discomfort. “If we took even a half-day off during our periods, our salary would be cut,” she said.

Her experience changed after joining a tourism organisation in Guwahati.

“This is the first workplace where I’ve seen menstrual health being openly acknowledged. Sanitary pads are always available, hygiene is taken seriously, and we also have menstrual leave,” she said.

Yet, she believes the biggest difference lies in the work culture itself. “There’s no awkwardness around it. You don’t feel judged for needing support,” she added.

Minerva Bezbaruah, a former school teacher from Guwahati, says the absence of facilities is common across sectors, including education.

“We didn’t have anything that would help women work comfortably during those days,” she said.

In many offices, menstruation continues to remain an uncomfortable subject, often discussed in whispers or ignored altogether. (Representational Image/ Meta)

Public health experts have long stressed that menstrual hygiene is closely linked to women’s physical health, mental well-being, and ability to participate comfortably in the workplace.

“Proper sanitation facilities, including access to toiletries and safe disposal provisions, are essential at workplaces. Menstruation can often cause weakness and discomfort, so a supportive and hygienic work environment is necessary to reduce stress for women,” said Dr Biva Goswami, a city-based gynaecologist.

Yet, in many offices, menstruation continues to remain an uncomfortable subject, often discussed in whispers or ignored altogether.

According to the WHO and UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme 2012, menstrual hygiene management means women and girls should have access to clean menstrual products, privacy to change them as often as needed, soap and water for washing, and proper facilities for disposal.

For many working women in Guwahati, however, these basic standards exist only on paper, that too, if at all. Their experiences make one thing clear - the conversation was never really about leave policies.

A clean washroom. A covered dustbin. A sanitary pad in an emergency. The freedom to step away without having to explain. These are not privileges. They are the bare minimum of what dignity at work should mean.

That so many women in 2026 still cannot count on them is not an oversight. It is a failure of intention.