After maternity leave, women struggle with balancing breastfeeding their newly born babies and keeping active at work during working hours. Most of them have one-hour permission but due to the distance between their working places and homes, the continuance of breastfeeding is affected. Policies promoting a supportive breastfeeding environment at work ought to be implemented as MPs suggested during a recent plenary sitting.
During a recent parliamentary session on the amendment of the labor law, MPs suggested that Government institutions, Private companies, and Non-Government Organizations should set up such early childhood development centers at the workplace as they assist parents to spend considerable time on their job within the first year after giving birth.
Precisely, MP Deogratius Bizimana Minani said that: "ECDs at the workplace should be considered for mothers to be able to work comfortably after maternity leave.”
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It is advised that in the first six months of life, the infant should have as much breast milk as possible and exclusive breastfeeding to ensure the growth and development of children, exclusive breastfeeding remains the best way of reducing infectious diseases risks in infancy, and improving mother-infant bonding.
However, the current labor law that is being amended accords women a three-months maternity leave with an additional one hour of breastfeeding.
ECDs in working places, according to MPs, would be a good approach to preventing stunting in children and would as well contribute significantly to children bonding with their parents.
Different institutions have adopted ECDs in working places to support mothers after maternity leave to continue practicing exclusive breastfeeding and give needed attention to their babies as it is recommended in the early child development period so that they can grow well and stabilize the work balance for mothers. However, lawmakers suggest that there should be a policy to emphasise having ECDs at work.
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Parents working in public and private institutions urge that ECD at the workplace could be a better way to cater for children.
Rachel Uwitonze, 32-year-old a mother of two, at the time she had her babies it was very challenging for her to continue exclusively breastfeeding after maternity leave.
"Establishing ECDs in working places is a great idea, for me it was impossible to breastfeed in working hours, my workplace is far from home, I could not make it in time so I decided to use other additional feedings to support breastmilk as I was not around in working hours it deprived me for exclusive breastfeeding my babies in first six months of their lives.” she said.
She continued "Most of the time children are left alone with house helpers, some even abuse them and do not treat them right but ECD settings at work can ensure the safety of our children as they are being nurtured by professional caregivers.”
The National Child Development Agency (NCDA) encourages public and private institutions to put more effort into setting up ECDs to help their employees to follow up the well-being and protection of their children while they are working.
"We are at the phase of awareness and mobilization of parents to support the establishment and management of ECD settings at workplaces. NCDA's plan is to speed up the establishment of these settings for the benefit of children, employees and employers.” Said Emmanuel Munyampeta, Positive Parenting Specialist at NCDA
He added "We have already established a CEO Forum for children’s rights to involve members of the private sector in this exercise. I can mention ECDs in tea and rice plantations, in mining companies, factories and banks as well as some public institutions.”
According to NCDA so far there are 49 ECDs in working places providing daycare services to 2701.