Odia activist Ranjeeta Priyadarshini advocates for paid period leave in UK

Bhubaneswar: Activist Ranjeeta Priyadarshini from Sambalpur advocated for paid period leave for women in the UK recently where she met parliamentarians and community members, and attended related events during her 10-day stay.

“By engaging with UK policymakers, parliamentarians and communities, I aimed to highlight paid period leave as a global workplace dignity issue, not just a local or regional concern,” said Priyadarshini.


During her campaign, she visited the House of Lords and House of Commons. She engaged with leaders and community representatives of Harrow, Wellingborough and Kent through events and meetings. Among them were Harrow West MP Gareth Thomas and Lord Rami Ranger.

Thomas lauded her commitment to promoting menstrual dignity and gender-sensitive labour reforms. Lord Ranger appreciated her global advocacy, affirming that her work is vital for ensuring dignity and justice for women workers across the world.

Priyadarshini was helped by members of the Odia community, who organised an interaction, thus helping her reach a wider audience. “As a woman, I felt personally aligned with the issue of paid period leave, as it addresses a natural aspect of women’s health that many experience at least one day each month. Supporting greater awareness around menstrual wellbeing is both practical and socially meaningful,” said Sweta Mohanty, activist and member of the Odisha Society of UK (OSUK).

“I view it as an example of the ‘living bridge’ concept often spoken of within diaspora communities — facilitating constructive engagement between individuals from India and stakeholders abroad and supporting shared efforts toward positive social outcomes,” added Mohanty.

Priyadarshini also met members of the Gujarati and UP communities.