"We feel the current three months is not
enough time for women to adequately care for their newborns," said an
official from the ministry of women and child development.
"The proposal, if approved, would give
working women in all sectors -- public, private and even the informal
sector such as domestic workers -- some kind of protection."
According to the ministry, an expectant
mother needs one month of rest before birth, and seven months after, to
adequately nurse her child, said the official, who declined to be named.
India has one of the highest child
malnutrition rates in the world. Forty-six percent of children under
five are underweight and 48 per cent are stunted, according to the
latest government figures from 2005/6.
Child malnutrition is an underlying cause of death for 3 million children around the world every year
nearly half of all child deaths - with
most dying from preventable illnesses due to weak immune systems, says
the United Nations Children's Fund.
Those who survive, grow up without
enough energy, protein, vitamins and minerals, causing their brains and
bodies to be stunted which means they cannot fulfill their physical,
academic or economic potential.
The World Health Organization (WHO) -
which recommends exclusive breastfeeding for babies up to six months old
- says breastfeeding reduces child mortality and has proven health
benefits that extend into adulthood.
Yet only 47 per cent of Indian mothers
exclusively breastfeed for the first six months, compared with 70
percent in neighbouring Nepal and 76 per cent in Sri Lanka.
Gender experts say extending maternity
leave will also encourage more women to return to work and close the
gender gap in the labour market. Many women reluctantly drop out of work
because they need more time for their newborns, they say.
At around 33 per cent, female
participation in the workforce in India is well below the global average
of 50 percent, a March report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF)
said.
During to a visit to India in March, IMF
Managing Director Christine Lagarde said the gender disparity in the
labour sector was a "huge missed opportunity".
Source :http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/
