Employers asked to provide facilities for breastfeeding mothers

The Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment Creation has called on employers to make breastfeeding facilities available at their premises.

The ministry was responding to a recent Nutrition and Food Security Alliance of Namibia (Nafsan) study revealing that breastfeeding mothers are not being supported in the workplace.

“Employers should make it part of their employee wellness policies to ease implementations and enforcement thereof,” said labour ministry executive director Lydia Indombo on Monday afternoon.

Indombo said breastfeeding-friendly facilities are needed at all workplaces.

“If employers prioritise offering these types of facilities, then high productivity would be expected in the Namibian world of work,” she said.

Indombo highlighted that providing these facilities will help avoid unnecessary prolonged interruptions of service delivery.

“As well as possible labour disputes that may arise if breastfeeding mothers have to unprocedurally sneak out of work to breastfeed their babies at homes,” she said.

The Nafsan survey results published last month noted that companies, ministries and institutions in Namibia are not inclusive of breastfeeding mothers. It showed that 95% percent of 46 surveyed companies do not have any dedicated spaces for breastfeeding.

This number includes local authorities, ministries and government offices, universities, healthcare facilities, as well as telecommunications, mining, financial, security, media and medical companies, among other sectors.

“The results show that Namibia has a long way to go in that area. Thus, employers should strive to provide breastfeeding facilities for the working mothers,” Indombo said.

Workplaces ‘fail’ nursing mothers

One of the few companies that have these facilities is Bank Windhoek, which provides a small room with a reclining chair, a bar fridge, a basin, Bluetooth speaker and disposable milk holders.

Bank Windhoek head of human capital shared service Michelle Juling said they received approval last year for this initiative.

“The idea was initiated from a supportive stance on employee well-being and work-life balance. We wanted to create a private, clean and comfortable space for nursing mothers,” Juling said.

“We respect employees’ needs and foster a positive workplace culture where everyone feels appreciated and supported,” Juling added.

In addition to Bank Windhoek, Nafsan noted that only two other companies surveyed have breastfeeding facilities. They are the Ohlthaver & List Group and the Capricorn Group.

These concerns reached the National Assembly last month when labour deputy minister Hafeni Ndemula announced that amendments to the Labour Act will be tabled to guarantee women breastfeeding facilities at work.

He said the amendments will include full benefits for new mothers and more protection against employers.

Ndemula advocated for improved breastfeeding facilities and breaks at work, while tabling the ratification of a convention from the International Labour Organisation.

Labour expert Sydwill Scholtz says currently, the country’s legal framework does not make it a mandatory requirement for employers to provide nursing stations or places suitable for breastfeeding in the workplace.