Fife Council to improve policies to help menopausal women

At a full council meeting on Thursday, Councillor Rosemary Liewald proposed that policies be implemented that would positively impact the female Fife Council work force.

Councillor Rosemary Liewald proposed in her motion: “This council will recognise and acknowledge the problems and anxieties of peri-menopausal and menopausal women and ensures that all staff are treated fairly, equally and with dignity and respect, whilst seeking to improve their well-being, comfort and general health.

“Furthermore the council are committed to introducing a policy that will positively impact on our female work force, with this council providing appropriate support to women who are experiencing symptoms of the menopause.”

At the meeting Cllr Liewald added: “All the women I know who have gone through menopause have experienced something, even if it isn’t necessarily bad.

“From what I’d heard, I’d expected to have hot flushes at night and to wake up with night sweats. The reality for me was, they would happen at any time of the day, or night, and they would come out of no where.

“In Scotland, 51 per cent of the population are women. It is therefore expected that everyone of those women will go through menopause in their life. Yet there is virtually no measure in place in our workplaces which recognises this on a daily basis.”

Cllr Liewald called for more information to be distributed through work places, have Fife Council lead the way on what can be done to help staff who are having difficulties, and as councillors direct people to the support available.

Cllr Karen Marjoram seconded the motion, saying: “Coping with the menopause can be tough for many women. It usually happens at the time in life where women are dealing with ageing parents and troublesome teens.

“It is a totally natural and normal process. 80 per cent of women will have symptoms that make their life less normal.

“Our motion asks that the council provide support to women experiencing the symptoms and asks for appropriate policies to be implemented.”