A non-governmental organization, Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria, CS-SUNN, has commenced advocacy to actualise six months maternity leave for nursing mothers working in government agencies.
The organization said six months maternity for working nursing mothers, when actualized, would encourage exclusive breastfeeding.
Although nursing mothers working for the government in Enugu State are currently enjoying four months maternity leave, the organization insisted that there was a need for six months maternity leave.
The Program Officer of Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria, (CS-SUNN), Hope Ikani disclosed this during a two-day Capacity Building Workshop on Advocacy Strategy and Budget Tracking for CSOs in Enugu State.
She explained that the aim of the workshop was to build the capability of CSOs in Enugu State to help bring the objective of the ongoing UNICEF project to completion.
She stressed the need for nursing mothers working in government agencies to enjoy six months maternity leave which he said would encourage them to carry out exclusive breastfeeding.
She expressed hope that when government workers were allowed to enjoy six months’ maternity leave, the private workers would learn from the government and grant the same to their workers.
Ikani described nutrition as the bedrock of health, adding that they were pushing for healthy mothers that will also lead to healthy babies.
She also disclosed that they were also carrying out advocacy for increased nutrition budgets in the different states.
Ikani stated that the outcome of the UNICEF project entitled ‘Increased Investment In Nutrition To Scale Up Quality Nutrition Services’, will have budget releases and utilization for nutrition programing at federal and selected states increased.
