Breastfeeding environment to be provided at work
MPs approved a historic provision that will make it mandatory for employers to provide breastfeeding stations for nursing mothers in the workplace, without fail as per the provision of the law passed by the members of parliament.
The bill had been sponsored by the National Assembly Health Committee chaired by Dr. Rachael Nyamai the MP for south Kitui.
“This provision will really help mothers. We have had a rough time leaving young babies at home not giving enough breastfeeding milk opting to other alternative meals at a tender age,” said Rachel Ameso Amollo the Kakamega Women representative as she praised the house for passing this in to law.
Under the provision, employers will be required to set up the stations with all the necessary facilities, including electric outlets for breast pumps, refrigerators and appropriate cooling facilities within the office premises, to enable breast feeding mothers to have any easy time at work with their feeding kids at the place of work.
The employers will also be compelled to provide ‘comfortable’ seats and environment for mothers to ensure the breastfeeding experience is as relaxed as possible, with no difficulties whatsoever.
All employers shall in the workplace establish location stations, which shall be adequately provided with necessary equipment and facilities,
The law also compels employers to allow nursing mothers, have breaks to breastfeed their babies during working hours.
“An employer shall grant all nursing employees break intervals in addition to the regular times off for meals to breastfeed or express milk,” says the clause.
The breastfeeding period must not exceed one hour for every eight working hours, the clause specifies clearly.
Even though some companies are already providing breastfeeding facilities, it is the first time such a provision will be written into law, to be adhered to by employers.
The effect of the clause, according to MP’s, is to allow mothers to bring up healthy babies by allowing them greater periods to breastfeed.
