The Bahamas National Breastfeeding Association (BNBA)
is urging the government to ratify United Nations Convention 183, which would
ensure the rights of breastfeeding mothers while on the job.
During a one-day seminar held October 5, 2022, the association laid out some key
points supporting the move. The event was held under the United Nations theme:
‘Step Up for Breastfeeding, Education and Support.’ In attendance and delivering
remarks were the Director of Labour, who spoke on behalf of the Minister of
Labour and Immigration, the Hon. Keith Bell, and Mrs. Ann Marie Davis of the
Office of the Spouse of the Prime Minister.
Director of Labour Robert Farquharson said that although the Convention has yet
to be ratified by the government, steps are being actively taken to include it in the
employment act.
“We are recommending that statue law be amended to ensure that buildings
have a special room so that nursing mothers have a place to breastfeed or pump
for up to 12 months after the delivery of a child,” said Mr. Farquharson. “We want
to ensure that not only is it enacted by law but also reflected in the policy and
procedures in government ministries. After additional consultations with
partners and other stakeholders, we want to make some recommendations to the
government to see how quickly the Convention can be adopted in The Bahamas.”
Spouse of the Prime Minister, Mrs. Ann Marie Davis said that she fully supports
the move and encouraged efforts to move forward with getting the Convention
adopted by the government. She also encouraged women to breastfeed their
infant children. Describing lactating mothers as “meals in heels,” Mrs. Davis said
that this is one of the best gifts a mother could give to her child.
“Breastfeeding is a vital source of nutrition and according to the United Nations, it
contributes to over $3.2 billion of the world’s Gross Domestic Product,” said Mrs.
Davis: “It fosters higher IQ levels, attaches to sustainability issues, and has
minimal ecological footprint.”
She also said that more effort should be done to raise the number of
breastfeeding mothers.
“We are in a battle to raise breastfeed mothers from 18% to 50%. It must be
done collaboratively and cooperatively,” said Mrs. Davis. “If we need a healthy
nation, we need to go upward and forward, and we need sufficient support to be
able to meet this objective.”
Chairperson of the National Tripartite Council, Cheryl Martin, also delivered brief
remarks. She said that steps must be aggressively taken to pass laws to support
breastfeeding in the workplace. “Women face so many issues after returning from
maternity leave: they have nowhere to express their milk, or have to resort to
unsanitary conditions to do so. They need a safe place to store the milk once
expressed, nurseries must be baby friendly, maternity leave should be extended
to 20 weeks. We also need paternity leave for fathers and ongoing training and
compensation for lactation managers,” said Ms. Martin.
She also said that Convention 183 was passed by the International Labour
Organization since 2000 but, to date, has not been ratified by The Bahamas.
The Bahamas National Breastfeeding Association (BNBA)is urging the government to ratify United Nations Convention 183, which wouldensure the rights of breastfeeding mothers while on the job.
During a one-day seminar held October 5, 2022, the association laid out some keypoints supporting the move. The event was held under the United Nations theme:‘Step Up for Breastfeeding, Education and Support.’ In attendance and deliveringremarks were the Director of Labour, who spoke on behalf of the Minister ofLabour and Immigration, the Hon. Keith Bell, and Mrs. Ann Marie Davis of theOffice of the Spouse of the Prime Minister.
Director of Labour Robert Farquharson said that although the Convention has yetto be ratified by the government, steps are being actively taken to include it in theemployment act.
“We are recommending that statue law be amended to ensure that buildingshave a special room so that nursing mothers have a place to breastfeed or pumpfor up to 12 months after the delivery of a child,” said Mr. Farquharson. “We wantto ensure that not only is it enacted by law but also reflected in the policy andprocedures in government ministries. After additional consultations withpartners and other stakeholders, we want to make some recommendations to thegovernment to see how quickly the Convention can be adopted in The Bahamas.”
Spouse of the Prime Minister, Mrs. Ann Marie Davis said that she fully supportsthe move and encouraged efforts to move forward with getting the Conventionadopted by the government. She also encouraged women to breastfeed theirinfant children. Describing lactating mothers as “meals in heels,” Mrs. Davis saidthat this is one of the best gifts a mother could give to her child.
“Breastfeeding is a vital source of nutrition and according to the United Nations, itcontributes to over $3.2 billion of the world’s Gross Domestic Product,” said Mrs.Davis: “It fosters higher IQ levels, attaches to sustainability issues, and hasminimal ecological footprint.”
She also said that more effort should be done to raise the number ofbreastfeeding mothers.
“We are in a battle to raise breastfeed mothers from 18% to 50%. It must bedone collaboratively and cooperatively,” said Mrs. Davis. “If we need a healthynation, we need to go upward and forward, and we need sufficient support to beable to meet this objective.”
Chairperson of the National Tripartite Council, Cheryl Martin, also delivered briefremarks. She said that steps must be aggressively taken to pass laws to supportbreastfeeding in the workplace. “Women face so many issues after returning frommaternity leave: they have nowhere to express their milk, or have to resort tounsanitary conditions to do so. They need a safe place to store the milk onceexpressed, nurseries must be baby friendly, maternity leave should be extendedto 20 weeks. We also need paternity leave for fathers and ongoing training andcompensation for lactation managers,” said Ms. Martin.
She also said that Convention 183 was passed by the International LabourOrganization since 2000 but, to date, has not been ratified by The Bahamas.
