Ubora Institute has seized the opportunity of the month long celebration of activities outlined by the Ghana Health Service, to make a clarion call on all stakeholders and policy actors to work together to create a favourable environment to support breastfeeding for working parents.

This call is on the back of the global theme for the celebration which focuses on breastfeeding and work, providing an opportunity to strengthen the collaboration of actors across different levels of society to support, and promote breastfeeding.

Our partner, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) also in a statement has called for the enactment of a national legislation to safeguard the breastfeeding rights of working parents. The GHS said the proposed legislation should grant full leave, flexible work arrangements, and breastfeeding leave to breastfeeding working parents.

It further expressed concern that despite the health benefits of breastfeeding to newborns, many working parents still faced difficulties in keeping up with exclusive breastfeeding for the recommended six months. It said many working parents continued to give breast-feeding for up to two years or longer.

The statement said breastfeeding was a fundamental right of every child and important to child survival and development. It appealed to employers to encourage and establish breastfeeding-friendly workplaces with safe spaces, hygienic facilities, and storage of breast milk.

“Long working hours, limited maternity leave, inadequate breastfeeding leave and the stigma surrounding breastfeeding in the workplace are some of the barriers preventing parents from providing nutrition, optimal for their infants,” the statement said.

At Ubora Institute, we say breastmilk for life.