Breastfeeding: Kaduna implements six-month paid maternity leave for working mothers

The Kaduna government has commenced the implementation of six-month paid maternity leave for working mothers in the state’s civil service.

In a statement to commemorate World Breastfeeding Week, Hadiza Balarabe, deputy governor of the state, said maternity leave duration was also extended from three to six months.

The Nigerian labour act allows lactating mothers to take three months’ leave while they are entitled to at least 50 percent of their monthly wages during the period.

But stakeholders over the years, have been advocating for an extension to six-month paid maternity leave to support nursing mothers in achieving optimal breastfeeding.

In 2018, Punch reported that the federal government increased maternity leave for women from 12 to 16 weeks.

World Breastfeeding Week is marked annually from August 1st to 7th to address issues of poor early breast milk initiation and exclusive practices.

Balarabe said the 2021 multiple indicator cluster survey (MICS) showed only 41.1 percent of children are exclusively breastfed in Kaduna.

She said optimal breastfeeding has enormous health benefits but is often hindered by workplace challenges for nursing mothers.

“Achievements so far recorded in support of nutrition interventions include pronouncement and implementation of a six-month paid maternity leave (extended from the earlier three months) for mothers working in the state civil service,” the statement reads.

“This has already taken effect across all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) with the hope that all others even in the private and federal sectors in the state will follow suit.

“I also have reports of a few MDAs in Kaduna that are yet to align to this six months maternity leave policy. This is not acceptable and will be dealt with soon enough.

“Establishment of creches across MDAs (ministry of human services and social development as well as the planning and budget commission) to support lactating mothers to continue breastfeeding their infants, even after the maternity leave and they resume work.

“This will lead to increased productivity of the working-class mother. The state has also commenced plans on how to expand the creation of these creches across other MDAs.

“The state government has established nutrition corners across 23 LGAs to provide nutrition counselling and practical demonstrations on how to adequately prepare food and feed infants aged six to 59 months.”

The deputy governor called on stakeholders at all levels, including public health experts and managers to provide a safe workplace environment for lactating mothers.

“It is imperative for government at all levels to focus on ensuring pregnant women and caregivers of children less than two years of age benefit from social protection measures to support appropriate, respectful, and safe maternity services and recommended infant and young child feeding practices in Nigeria,” she added.