A women’s role in this era is multiple and more challenging than it was 30 years ago.
Women today, juggle a full time and demanding job to supplement the husband’s income to sustain a decent standard of living. Then, she is a home maker and takes on the full responsibility for the children’s health, growth and development to contributing towards nation building.
Considering their multi tasks the minimum the Government can do is to ensure women fully recover in health and child caring after delivery.
Many South East Asian countries have moved forward along with the Recommendation of the International Labour Organisation Convention 103 - Maternity Protection Convention (Revised), 1952. The revised Convention 183 of 2000. The Convention considered 7 maternity protection aspects; let us just compare the basic protections of maternity leave:
|
|
Singapore |
Thailand |
Cambodia |
Indonesia |
Philippines |
Malaysia |
|
Maternity leave |
112 days
(16 weeks) |
90 days |
90 days |
90 days
(3 months) |
60 days; 78 days for caesarian section delivery |
60 days |
Source: www.asianfoodworker.net
Some South East Asian countries even provide breastfeeding and child care protection i.e. A working mother in Singapore gets up to 12 months leave to breastfeed and care for her new born whilst in Cambodia it is the employers obligation to grant one hour break (or 2 x 30 min) per day and with nursing rooms and day care centers. Companies in Cambodia with more than 100 women workers must provide a breastfeeding room and a child care centre. Enterprises that are able to establish such facilities shall pay for the costs of childcare for their employees. In Indonesia employers are to provide a suitable place for breastfeeding mothers to nurse their children during work hours.
This is just a glimpse of the protection under the ILO Convention and Malaysia is way behind our neighbors’ in protecting the interest of our women folks. There is a dire need to revamp this particular section of our Employment Act 1955.
Many children born 30 years ago have grown into Leaders leading Malaysia today and can make the change today to enhance maternity protection for Malaysian women.
In this regard, NUBE will be submitting a Memorandum to Yang Berbahagia Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil heading the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development in the first week of March 2010.