As more women join the workforce across the Middle East, it's time for organisations to support them with benefits that truly reflect their real-life challenges—because attracting and retaining female talent starts with empathy and inclusion.

While rising stress, burnout, and work-life imbalance remain pressing issues, workplaces are beginning to engage in more honest conversations about women’s health and wellbeing.

From inclusive caregiving benefits to extended leave policies, organisations in the Middle East—often backed by government mandates—are working to build work environments where women can succeed without constantly juggling their priorities in a frenzy.

Yet two of the most stigmatized and deeply impactful aspects of women’s lives still have a long way to go when it comes to being recognised as part of workplace wellbeing: menstrual pain and miscarriage. It’s time for organisations to stop tiptoeing around these taboo topics and start creating inclusive wellness policies that meet women where they are—in real life, not just on paper.

Breaking the silence on Miscarriage

While extended maternity leave and flexible work options acknowledge women’s caregiving responsibilities after childbirth, where is the support for those who experience the painful loss of a miscarriage?

Studies show that over 1 in 5 pregnancies end in miscarriage or stillbirth—a statistic that holds true globally and across the Middle East. Yet, many women are unable to speak openly about their health in the workplace, often left to suffer in silence.

In the UAE, a growing number of employers are rethinking their policies and beginning to offer miscarriage bereavement leave for women experiencing pregnancy loss. While not legally mandated, these policies acknowledge the emotional and physical impact such losses have on working women.

Some of the private employers that recognise this and have a leave policy for pregnancy loss in place are: 

Last year, Fine Hygienic Holding introduced miscarriage leave as part of its inclusive leave policies for women employees. The additional leaves extended to support parents include: four months of maternity leave, one month of paternity leave, one day of menstrual leave, and unlimited days off for IVF treatment and pregnancy loss.

Introducing these policies, the company CEO James Michael Lafferty disclosed, “When my wife had a miscarriage, we were traumatised. Last year, our company introduced a leave for those who had suffered a miscarriage or a stillborn. In my email, I wrote that I was introducing a policy I hoped no one would have to take. Most companies treat miscarriages as nothing and expect their employees to come in to work the next day. If they want to mourn the loss of a baby, they need to take their vacation days to do so. I think that is unfair.”

Recently, Deutsche Bank introduced enhanced parental leave benefits across its Middle East and Africa operations, including paid leave for employees who experience a miscarriage. Although, the number of days are not defined but including ‘employees experiencing miscarriage, providing time for physical and emotional recovery’, is inclusive of their women employees going through such losses. This policy applies across 14 regional offices, with the largest office located in Dubai, UAE. ​

Jamal Al Kishi, CEO of MEA region remarked: "Enhancing our parental leave policies ensures that new parents have the time, flexibility and security they need to focus on their growing families. This reflects our dedication to fostering an inclusive and people-first culture, where our employees can thrive both personally and professionally.”

Saatchi & Saatchi Middle East, in collaboration with the UAE-based women’s platform ItsHerWay, has launched “The Leave of Absence” campaign. This initiative encourages companies to adopt formal miscarriage bereavement leave policies, aiming to normalise conversations around miscarriage grief and push for systemic change.

Armin Jamula, Co-Founder of ItsHerWay, commented, “When parents are expected to return to work the day after a miscarriage, it reveals a painful blind spot in corporate empathy. The UAE’s evolving stance reflects a broader shift: empathy in the workplace isn’t a luxury—it’s a leadership imperative.”

In 2021, Pinterest introduced four weeks of paid leave for pregnancy loss, extended to parents who experience a loss through miscarriage at any point in the pregnancy. The leave was part of inclusive benefits for parents to be, in addition to 12 weeks of parental leave, NICU leave and financial support, as well as IVF and egg freezing support.

Goldman Sachs also introduced four weeks of family care leave, which includes miscarriage or stillbirth experienced by women employees and extends to male employees in the event of pregnancy loss suffered by their partner or spouse—acknowledging grief, offering space to heal, and treating employees as whole human beings.

In the public sector, the UAE government offers sick leave for miscarriages occurring before the 24th week of pregnancy, with the duration determined by a medical report, and 60 days of paid leave for miscarriages or stillbirths occurring after the 24th week, based on a medical report approved by the competent entity, as stated in Article 4 of Decree No. 14 of 2017.

Saudi Arabia still doesn’t have explicit labour laws for pregnancy loss at any stage. However, female employees can apply for sick leave in such cases. Some of the organisations in KSA's private sector offer flexible work arrangements for women undergoing such losses. 

Menstruation leave – Breaking workplace taboo 

Women in their reproductive years face numerous challenges—one of the most overlooked being menstrual pain. A universal truth that’s gradually gaining recognition is that the intensity of menstrual pain can vary significantly from woman to woman, and even from month to month for the same woman.

According to the Women’s Health Concern organisation, nearly 80% of women experience period discomfort, and 40% report severe pain. Yet, most workplace policies remain silent on the matter, leaving women to cope with debilitating cramps, nausea, migraines, and more—often without adequate support or understanding. Many resort to using sick leave without disclosing the true reason, as menstruation remains a taboo topic that’s rarely discussed openly in professional settings.

While some forward-thinking organisations (as mentioned above) have introduced menstrual leave as part of their inclusive benefits policies, there is still a long way to go—particularly for regional employers in the Middle East. 

That said, several countries have begun to prioritise women’s health and well-being as part of more inclusive policy-making.

• Spain recently became the first European country to introduce official menstrual leave, allowing women to take up to three days of sick leave for incapacitating menstruation.
• Indonesia and Japan have had similar policies for decades, but enforcement and cultural support remain inconsistent.

However, menstrual pain is mostly a private battle waged silently behind a professional smile.

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Therefore, all employers aiming to attract and retain female employees need to redesign their policies to make them more inclusive of the real health concerns of working women. The introduction of menstrual and miscarriage leaves is not about special treatment—it’s about basic inclusion and dignity, so women can feel supported despite these biological realities.

Companies that choose to address these gaps are not just winning hearts—they’re winning the talent war. Various studies show that younger workers are willing to stay with organisations that offer such inclusive and thoughtful wellness benefits, even if the pay is not that great. In a competitive job market, inclusive leave policies are not just compassionate—they're strategic.

Maria Trapenasso, SVP and Human Capital Solutions Leader at Aon’s NFP Company, underlines, "Offering miscarriage leave gives the employee one less thing to worry about during an incredibly stressful and emotional time. It shows that the employer is truly concerned with their well-being.”

Also, there is a need to manage these inclusive benefits well, with manager training to avoid the stigma surrounding these events, and an effective career progression framework for women that is considerate of their personal challenges.

Therefore, organisations need to:

• Train managers to handle miscarriage- or period-related disclosures with empathy, privacy, and zero judgment.
• Collaborate with therapists or wellness providers for grief and menstrual support.
• Normalise conversations around menstruation and miscarriage—not just in HR manuals but in culture.
• Offer flexibility—remote work, no-questions-asked sick days, or “wellbeing days” that allow people to step away without guilt.

While these insights reflect diverse perspectives, we welcome yours as well. If you have practical tips or experiences to share, connect with our Editor at: anjum@gopeoplematters.com. We’d be delighted to share your voice.