Kwara adopts 6 months maternity leave for working mothers

The Kwara State Government has announced the adoption of six months of maternity leave for working mothers.

The wife of the state governor, Mrs. Olufolake Abdulrazaq, announced this at the flag-off of the 2023 World Breastfeeding Week and the Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health Week in Ilorin.

Mrs. Olufolake Abdulrazaq said the week would highlight the huge benefits that breastfeeding could bring to the health and welfare of babies and maternal health, focusing on good nutrition, poverty reduction, and food security.

She added that working mothers in the state usually went on three months of maternity leave before the adoption of six months.

According to her, It has become imperative to upscale advocacy to collectively enable exclusive breastfeeding with due consideration for working mothers.

”World Breastfeeding Week has the dual goal of improving the health of babies and promoting, protecting, and supporting the rights of women to breastfeed anywhere and at any time.

”Effective maternity protection you will agree with me stand to improve health and wellbeing outcomes of breastfeeding on infants, young children, mothers, families and the society at large.

She commended Gov. Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq for approving the extension of maternity leave for nursing mothers and setting up crèches in the various ministries.

She said this would encourage mothers to breastfeed their babies while at work.

Supreme News reports that the theme of the 2023 World Breastfeeding Week is “Enabling breastfeeding; making a difference for working parents.”

The event has been marked every first week of August since 1992 to inform, engage, and galvanise action.

The week also presents avenues to generate public awareness and support for exclusive breastfeeding.