Six-month maternity leave proposal gutted in September protests
Summary
A six-month maternity leave proposal aimed at promoting breastfeeding in Nepal was destroyed during the September Gen Z protests, forcing officials to start over on public health reforms.
Key Points
- A proposal to grant six months’ maternity leave to working mothers was destroyed during the September Gen Z protests in Nepal.
- The proposal was part of broader public health reforms, including revising the Mother’s Milk Substitutes Act-1992.
- The protests severely damaged government buildings, destroying crucial documents including public health proposals.
- Exclusive breastfeeding rates in Nepal have been declining, from 70% in 2011 to 56% in 2022, with declines steep among educated, working mothers.
- Health officials linked longer maternity leave to improved breastfeeding rates and better health outcomes for children and mothers.
- Another document to amend the Right to Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health Act-2018 was also destroyed during the protests.
