The United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, has decried the lack of infrastructure and policy for breastfeeding mothers in workplaces.
UNICEF Chief of Field in Enugu, Mrs. Juliet Chiluwe, stated this in an opening remark during a virtual discussion among media professionals from 12 states in observance of World Breastfeeding Week (WBW), celebrated globally from August 1 to 7 each year.
She stressed the need for employers to provide flexible working arrangements such as extended maternity leave, part-time or remote work, and the establishment of breastfeeding corners to give mothers a dignified and convenient space to breastfeed.
This and other issues, which were a focal point during the meeting with the theme, “Prioritise Breastfeeding: Create Sustainable Support Systems,” highlighted the essential role of breast milk in ensuring child survival, growth, and healthy development.
She said that breast milk is not only natural but also serves as the most comprehensive source of nutrition for infants, containing antibodies that shield children from illness, boost cognitive development, and decrease the risk of obesity later in life.
She further stressed that breastfeeding offers significant health benefits for mothers, reducing the risk of certain cancers and Type 2 diabetes, while being an environmentally-friendly, sustainable, and cost-effective feeding method for infants.
Chiluwe pointed out that breastfeeding remains insufficiently supported and frequently misunderstood in many contexts.
She raised the alarm over the stagnant rates of exclusive breastfeeding in Nigeria, revealing that 26 out of 36 states do not have supportive breastfeeding policies in place, such as paid maternity leave, workplace childcare facilities, and designated breaks for breastfeeding.
The UNICEF Field Officer disclosed that only 10 states, including Lagos, Kwara, Ekiti, Oyo, Cross River, Kaduna, Niger, Ondo, Enugu, and Plateau, have so far implemented six months of paid maternity leave. She, however, called on the remaining 26 states that fall short of expectation, leaving mothers without vital assistance, to do so.
