New Delhi, March 19 -- It started with a casual lunch conversation between a county governor and his cabinet ministers about a colleague's menstrual pain. The discussion led to a first in Kenya: The right for female employees to take menstrual leave.

The new policy took effect in December 2025. It grants county government employees in the capital, Nairobi, two days off every month to deal with the pain and discomfort of menstruation, with the aim of improving productivity and well-being.

Gov. Johnson Sakaja told The Associated Press that Kenya's national government has expressed interest in how it goes, and other county governors have as well.

"Your biggest asset is your staff," said Sakaja, who shepherded the new practice and oversees...