Why employers should support the proposed breastfeeding law

Breastfeeding mothers at Pumwani Hospital grounds during the celebrations of World's Breastfeeding Week (Photo: Courtesy)

Larissa Waters, an Australian Member of Parliament, became a global sensation when she was pictured breastfeeding her three-month baby, Alia Joy, while contributing to a motion. Traditionally, baby nursing has been restricted to a home setting, but the issue of how employers should treat breastfeeding women needs to be addressed. Last month the Kenya National Assembly passed the Health Bill, which among other things, requires employers to provide space and facilities for mothers at work. While some local companies have provided breastfeeding rooms, this is the first time such a provision has been written into law.

Notably, the Institute of Human Resource Management (IHRM) has opposed the new bill, claiming it's "capable of marginalising women of childbearing age". IHRM fears that employers will shun women of childbearing age, because having them will add to operational costs.