Paris-Est Créteil University introduces menstrual leave for female students

As in other universities, students at the University of Paris-Est Créteil (UPEC) suffering from painful periods can, since the start of the school year, benefit from 12 justified days of absence per year.

The start of the school year has only been a few days on the Créteil campus, but Anouk already knows that she will be able to benefit from justified days of absence during her period. Several universities are introducing menstrual leave for female students, in order to better take into account the health of those who suffer from painful periods.

The first university to do so was Angers in 2023, and others have since followed. Like the University of Paris-Est Créteil (UPEC), where students can now benefit from 12 justified days of absence per year.

A piece of news that Anouk welcomes “pretty good“, because she suffers from PCOS. This polycystic ovarian syndrome makes the student suffer every month. She describes “severe pain in the lower abdomen”.

“Sometimes I just want to stay in bed and not move. But because of the tutorials, I have to get up and go to class. But now, it’s possible that I’ll stay in bed, ‘doing nothing’ for my health.”

Anouk, student at the University of Paris-Est Créteil

to franceinfo

The idea of ​​menstrual leave came from associations and was supported by Andréa Gaucher, student vice-president at UPEC.It happened really quickly, because there was a consensus. Everyone agreed that painful periods were not chosen, she reports. An urgent solution was needed. And so, in less than six months, we set up this system.“.

In exchange for a medical certificate, 12 justified days of absence are granted to students each year. They can use a maximum of two per month.Let’s be clear, the desire to have a medical certificate or attestation was not a desire for control.“, assures Hervé Jami, the director of the university’s student health service. He participated in setting up the system.

“The aim was mainly to encourage students to go to their doctor to seek treatment.”

Hervé Jami, director of the student health service

to franceinfo

Some have already been to their doctor, like Alice, a second-year student.I suffer from fairly recurring painful periods, explains the young woman. I went to see my doctor who gave me a document. I just had to give it to the educational manager of my degree and from there, everything was fine.“.

“Period pain is a real pathology, asays Anne de Rugy, vice-president of students and commitment at UPEC. It is something that is shared. It is not something that concerns a single person who would exaggerate the pain behind these pains, but there can be dysfunctions, pathologies like endometriosis.” One of its goals is to no longer make painful periods a taboo. “I think it’s very positive that we can talk about it and that this menstrual leave is the moment to say ‘stop, this is not something to make fun of’.”

At UPEC, there are 65% female students. The system could be widely used, since one in two women report suffering from painful periods. The universities of Bordeaux and La Sorbonne Paris-Nord are also implementing menstrual leave.