Taking to Twitter, Spanish equality minister, Irene Montero tweeted: “Today is a historic day of progress in feminist rights: the new Abortion Law and the Trans Law and LGTBI rights are going to be law”.

Last March, Angela Rodriguez, Spain’s secretary of state for equality and gender violence shared her support for the reform for paid menstrual leave.

“If someone has an illness with such symptoms, a temporary disability is granted, so the same should happen with menstruation – allowing a woman with a very painful period to stay at home,” Rodriguez, Spain’s told El Periodico.

“It is important to clarify what a painful period is, we are not talking about a slight discomfort, but about serious symptoms such as diarrhoea, severe headaches, fever,” said Rodríguez.

“Symptoms that when there is a disease that entails them, a temporary disability is granted, therefore the same should happen with menstruation and that there is the possibility that if a woman has a very painful period, she can stay home.”

Spain becomes the first country in Europe to offer paid menstrual leave