The National Assembly has passed legislation seeking to strengthen the rights of breastfeeding mothers by compelling employers to provide suitable facilities and introduce measures that enable women to balance work and childcare.
The Breastfeeding Mothers Bill, 2024, sponsored by nominated MP Sabina Chege, seeks to create a more supportive working environment for mothers while expanding access to baby-changing facilities in public places. It aims to address challenges faced by working mothers who struggle to continue breastfeeding after returning to work because of inadequate facilities, limited breaks and inflexible working arrangements.
Under the Bill, employers will be required to provide private, clean and secure spaces where breastfeeding mothers can nurse their babies or express breast milk. The legislation also provides for breastfeeding breaks and allows mothers to seek flexible working arrangements, including changes to working hours, duties and work locations.
The measures are intended to reduce the pressure on women forced to choose between meeting workplace demands and continuing to breastfeed their children.
The Bill further seeks to protect breastfeeding mothers against discrimination, ensuring that the decision to breastfeed does not become a basis for unfair treatment at work. Beyond workplaces, it addresses the need for baby-changing facilities in public spaces, recognising the challenges parents and caregivers face when attending to infants outside their homes.
The Departmental Committee on Social Protection recommended that the House approve the Bill with amendments after consultations with stakeholders, including employers, breastfeeding advocates and government officials. The proposed law also assigns the Cabinet Secretary responsible for labour a role in promoting public awareness of breastfeeding mothers' rights and employers' responsibilities.
The passage of the Bill marks a legislative step towards making workplaces and public spaces more responsive to the needs of mothers and young children.
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