On Tuesday, the Kwara Government announced the implementation of a six-month maternity leave for working women at the start of the 2023 World Breastfeeding Week and the Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health Week in Ilorin, the state capital.
Mrs Olufolake Abdulrazaq, the governor's wife in Kwara state, who announced this, stated that working moms in the state typically took three months maternity leave.
However, she stated that it has become necessary to raise the age limit to six months in order to collectively enable exclusive nursing while taking into account working mothers.
Mrs Olufolake Abdulrazaq stated that the week would highlight the enormous benefits that breastfeeding can offer to the health and welfare of babies, as well as benefits to maternal health, with a focus on excellent nutrition, poverty reduction, and food security.
â€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.
â€Effective maternity protection, you will agree with me, stands to improve the health and wellbeing outcomes of breastfeeding on infants, young children, mothers, families and the society at large.
She praised Gov. Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq for extending maternity leave for nursing moms and establishing crèches in various ministries.
She claims that this will inspire women to nurse their children while at work.
The theme of the 2023 World Breastfeeding Week is: “Enabling breastfeeding; making a difference for working parents.â€
Since 1992, the event has been held in the first week of August to enlighten, engage, and galvanize action.
The week also provides opportunities to raise public awareness and support for exclusive breastfeeding.