Maternal Leave for a Healthy Nation

 Maternal Leave for a Healthy Nation

Women being the self-reliant through their involvement in numerous sectors such as government and non-government offices, private firms and garment factories have tremendously lessened the burden upon male classes in Bangladesh. Definitely it's such a positive scenario about the women progress and for this, government deserves getting thanks as its various initiatives have propelled to create such a ground for improving lifestyle of the women. Granting maternity leave for the young employees is such an initiative. A vernacular daily report on Saturday said that due to effective initiatives by the government, maternal mortality rate in Bangladesh has declined by more than 66% over the last two decades. It appears that the numbers of women employees have been increased in Bangladesh. It is mentionable that 13 lakh women have been involved with work in formal sector and women employment rate is 5.8%. Due to job security, female workers of RMG do not discontinue from job after child birth as RMG has ensured the provision of maternal leave for 6 months for women.

In spite of the positive scenario of women development, working woman becomes mother undergoing the some perils they face discrimination in maternity benefit depending on the nature of profession and also between the government and private sector employers. This discrimination against women is uncalled for and in our view it must go. It is noticeable that working women in government offices and public sector banks are enjoying six months maternity leave with pay to prepare for motherhood and take care of newborn babies. But in private sectors they get less leave and lesser benefits. We know Bangladesh Labor Act-2006 has granted the leave with benefit for working pregnant women as their right but lack of proper monitoring over the private sectors deprives many of such benefits. The state must ensure equitable maternity rights and benefits to all irrespective of the nature of jobs and be it in public or private sector.

According to report, nearly three million female workers are working in ready-made garment sector and that rate is 80-85 per cent. This momentous numbers of women are thus propelling the steering wheel of country’s economy. But it is also reported that many garment workers are denied of the benefits forcing them to leave the job while many others get only part of the benefits they are entitled to. We are against all form of gender discrimination and call for equal treatment of female workers in public and private sector workplaces. The state must develop a mechanism to make sure that every woman at work can enjoy maternity leave so that a mother feels healthy at pregnancy to help build a healthy future nation.