Spain’s lower house of parliament passed a law on Thursday giving paid leave to women suffering from severe menstrual pains, a first in the European country, and the bill also loosens restrictions on abortion, Reuters reported.

“These achievements allow us to exercise our freedom over our bodies, as the state recognizes that more than half of the population are full citizens,” said Irene Montero, Spain’s equality minister, before the vote.

The project was adopted by 190 votes “for”, 154 “against”, 5 abstentions.

A left-wing coalition in Madrid introduced the bill in May, facing strong opposition from the Catholic Church and anti-abortion activists. Spain’s executive said at the time that the aim of the draft legislation was to guarantee access to abortion and remove the stigma around menstruation.

The new law abolishes the mandatory 3-day waiting period for women seeking an abortion, and also abolishes the requirement for minors aged 16-17 to obtain parental or guardian consent for an abortion.

These obligations were introduced in 2015 by the previous Conservatives in government.

The new law, passed by the Madrid parliament, also provides paid maternity leave up to 39 weeks from 16 at the moment, ensures the free distribution of products related to menstrual hygiene in public institutions and schools, prisons or medical centers.

She also identifies surrogacy, which is illegal in Spain, as a form of violence against women.

The bill will now go to the upper house of the legislature in Madrid for final approval.

Countries of the world where menstrual leave still exists

Although passing the law would be a first for Europe, Spain is not the only country in the world to have such a law, although cases are not very common.

In Japan, the right to menstrual leave has been enshrined in law since 1947. There is no time limit for this type of leave, and it is usually unpaid.

In South Korea, female workers can take one day of menstrual leave, but it is unpaid. In Indonesia, a law passed in 2003 provides for one or two days of paid leave at the start of the menstrual cycle in case of pain.

However, many companies do not allow such holidays.

There is no national law on menstrual leave in China, but there are guidelines from the ministries of health and labor to grant one or two days of leave based on a medical certificate.

In 2015, Zambia passed a law that gives women the right to take one extra day of leave per month without notice or a medical certificate in case of menstrual pain.