‘Extend maternal leave’

The Progressive People’s Party (PPP) has added its voice to the loud cry by organizations such as the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) and the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) urging government to help change maternity leave from the current three months to six months.

A statement signed by its National Women’s Coordinator, Berlinda Bulley, the PPP stated that from 2010, there has been the call to change the maternity leave from three months, but no progress has been made.

“We believe that extending the maternity leave period will ensure a good form of social protection for our Ghanaian women,” she said.

According to her, child birth sometimes comes with some complications including Cesarean-Sections that could take up to three months to fully heal.

She thus, pointed out that having a period of three months to return to work therefore puts an unnecessary burden on women adding that “women end up taking health risks, ignore health advises and return to work just to protect their jobs.”

Madam Bulley asserted that in an era of trumpeting the engendering of development and social protection, PPP women believe that practical steps must be taken to guarantee the safety of our women and future generations.

She said the GMA for instance advised that the period is extended to promote women to provide exclusive breastfeeding (which is highly recommended globally) for babies and proper care in those very delicate and tender stages.

“The PPP proposes that for the extra three months (90 days/12weeks) being advocated for, employers consider paying 50% – 80% of salaries of beneficiaries. The Labour Commission should seriously consider this proposal and make it mandatory,” the PPP national women’s coordinator noted.

According to her, in the UK for instance, maternity leave is a total of 52 weeks with beneficiaries being paid for a period of up to 39 weeks and that considering Ghana’s economic status, her outfit believe that what it is advocating for is most appropriate at this time.

“The PPP is therefore calling on all organizations, and civil societies to urge the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection to champion this cause to as a matter of urgency implement this policy,” she proposed.

“This is not a fight just for women. All of society stands to benefit when the health of our mothers is protected,” Madam Bulley said.