Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
CSO-SUN country Coordinator William Chilufya
The Civil Society Organization for Scaling up Nutrition (CSO-SUN) has called for Concerted national action to support women to combine breastfeeding and work, whether in the formal sector, non-formal sector, or at home.
Speaking at a press briefing for the breast feeding week which runs from 1st August to the 7th August under the theme “breastfeeding and work, lets make it work”, CSO-SUN country Coordinator William Chilufya says there is also need for the ratification and implementation of maternity protection laws and regulations by the government of Zambia, in line with the ILO Maternity Protection Convention.
Mr. Chilufya says the Inclusion of breastfeeding target indicators in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) should include an ‘exclusive breastfeeding target indicator’ to firmly position breastfeeding in the global health and nutrition arena and serve as a proxy indicator for monitoring the status of maternity protection at national level
Mr. Chilufya notes that whether a woman is working in the formal, non formal or home setting, it is necessary that she is empowered in claiming her and her baby’s right to breastfeed citing that it may be easier for women to claim their maternity entitlements in more formal work settings.
He however adds that in less formal work and home settings, women need to know about their right to reproductive health, food and safety adding that these rights are enshrined in many of the International Conventions.
Mr. Chilufya points out that any approach that supports women to combine employment and unpaid work with reproductive work must do so from an empowerment approach so that women are not recipients of charity stressing that Maternity rights are rights of all women and need to be supported, facilitated and upheld.
He further states that breastfeeding is of critical importance to achieving the Millennium Development Goals and future Post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals.
And Breastfeeding Association of Zambia National Coordinator Grace Mushibwe has implored government to reinstate statutory instrument 48 of 2006 without negotiations so that breastfeeding is supported and promoted.