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Kenyan MPs approve bill to have employers provide breastfeeding stations

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Friday, April 1st, 2016
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Working mothers will be now be able to juggle between work and breastfeeding.

MPs approved a historic provision on Tuesday that will make it mandatory for employers to provide breastfeeding stations for nursing mothers in the workplace.

In another win for women, after Parliament passed the Matrimonial Property and Sexual Offences bills, MPs also approved the breastfeeding clause in the Health Bill, 2015.

The bill had been sponsored by the National Assembly Health Committee chaired by Rachel Nyamai (Kitui South, pictured).

Under the provision, employers will be required to set up the stations with all the necessary facilities, including electric outlets for breast pumps, refrigerators and appropriate cooling facilities within the office premises.

The employers will also be compelled to provide ‘comfortable’ seats for mothers to ensure the breastfeeding experience is as relaxed as possible.

“All employers shall in the workplace establish lactation stations, which shall be adequately provided with necessary equipment and facilities….,” reads the new clause in the bill, which also compels employers to allow nursing mothers breaks to breastfeed their babies during working hours.

“An employer shall grant all nursing employees break intervals in addition to the regular times off for meals to breastfeed or express milk,” adds the clause.

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