PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THE NATIONAL FOOD AND NUTRITION COMMISSION URGES EMPLOYERS TO CREATE A CONDUCIVE BREASTFEEDING WORKING ENVIRONMENT FOR MOTHERS.
Lusaka-(1st August – 7th August 2023)
As Zambia commemorates this year’s world breastfeeding week from 1st August to 7th August 2023, the National Food and Nutrition Commission of Zambia is urging employers to create a conducive breastfeeding working environment for working mothers.
The global theme for this year’s World Breastfeeding Week, is ‘’enabling breastfeeding making a difference for working parents’’. This year’s theme emphasizes that employers have a critical role to play in enhancing breastfeeding of infants through provision of adequate infrastructure and allowing breastfeeding breaks for working parents.
Currently, Zambia has revised maternity leave provision in the law to enhance and introduce longer maternity leave and care for the newborn child. The Employment Code Act No. 3 of 2019 has increased maternity leave from 12 to 14 weeks. Inspite, Government enacting the law, notably, some employers fail to provide nursing breaks and facilities in working places. Worse, women in the informal economy are very vulnerable because maternity entitlements remain inaccessible to them.
As a result, exclusive breastfeeding of infants under age 6 months in Zambia is only at 70%. However, if massive stunting reduction in children below 2 years is to be achieved, the country must aim at reaching a target of exclusive breastfeeding of infants exceeding 80%. This is where efforts from employers comes in to close all gaps that limit exclusive breastfeeding of infants in working places by working mothers.
Further, it has been proven that investing in breastfeeding is beneficial both to the health and survival of the mother and the infant. Breastmilk is very nutritious and builds the immunity of the baby. It also protects babies from common diseases such as diarrhea and pneumonia. Much more, the skin contacts between the mother and the child, as the baby suckles breastmilk, improves emotional and social development of the baby. Equally breastfeeding prevents breast cancer in mothers and controls their weight after the pregnancy period.
The Commission recommends that if the country is to reduce stunting in children, it is essential that maternity protection as enshrined in the law is enforced in all working places. This will enable working mothers to exclusively breastfeed infants in working places. Paternity leave should also be granted to working fathers so that they support child care.
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Nutrition Education and Communication Unit
National Food and Nutrition Commission
P.O. Box 32669, Lusaka
Tel: +260 211 227 803
www.nfnc.org.zm
