Protecting women's rights to breastfeed Alison Linnecar and Virginia Yee Today, more and more women of child-bearing age are working outside the household , in work that keeps them far from home for long hours with rigid regimes. Increasingly, women are seeing themselves and being viewed by society as independent economic units responsible for their own economic survival and well-being. Since the definition of economic activity excludes such unpaid work as subsistence agriculture, house-work and child care, the actual figures for women at work are far higher. Society must respect and accommodate women's productive and reproductive roles.
Child bearing is a biological function that only women can assume.
Yet, society denies most women maternity benefits. Maternity benefits are basic human rights for women. Women who are employed are entitled to paid maternity leave because it is a health measure to protect mothers and infants in late pregnancy and the early post-natal period. Maternity leave is essential to allow a mother to recover from birth, breastfeed her infant and to give her the opportunity to spend time with and provide care and nurturing for the young child to help the child adjust to a new environment. Paid maternity leave guarantees a continuing source of income and employment security following delivery.