Kenyan members of parliament have passed a bill that will make it mandatory for all employers in the country to provide breastfeeding stations for nursing mothers in the workplace.
Under the new provision, employers will be required to set up stations equipped with all the necessary facilities, including electric outlets for breast pumps, refrigerators and appropriate cooling facilities within the office premises.
The employers will also be compelled to provide ‘comfortable’ seats for the lactating mothers to ensure the breastfeeding experience is as relaxed as possible.
The bill also compels employers to give the mothers breaks in addition to the regular time-offs to attend to their babies during working hours.
Although some companies in the East African nation are already providing breastfeeding facilities, it is the first time such a provision will be written into law.
Lack of such facilities has meant that mothers leave their children at home and only breastfeed them after work.
Most mothers opt to reduce the breastfeeding period for their babies, in what health experts warn places the health of their babies at risk.
