Stakeholders and political office holders on the adoption of Child nutrition funds and implementation of 6 months paid maternity leave in Enugu state have called for maintenance of Child nutrition funds, and implementation of 6 months paid maternity leave in Enugu state.
They made the call on Thursday at a One- Day Breakfast meeting with key stakeholders and political office holders on adoption of Child nutrition funds(CNF) and implementation of Six month paid maternity leave in Enugu state organised by Civil Society – Scale Up Nutrition in Nigeria in conjunction with UNICEF..
The meeting issued it’s resolutions in a communique presented by the Enugu state Coordinator of Civil Society – Scale Up Nutrition in Nigeria ( CS-SUNN) Finian Ali.
Pix: Participants
The meeting observed that improved investment in nutrition is crucial for sustainable development, economic prosperity, and the well-being of Nigerians. It also observed that with malnutrition affecting one in three people globally and Nigeria having the second-highest number of stunted children, addressing this persistent public health concern gains significance.
The communique read in parts:
“Stunting, associated with poor brain development and reduced productivity in adulthood, is a concern in Enugu State, with 15.2% of children under five stunted, 8.2% underweight, and 3.9% wasted, according to the NDHS 2023 showing an increment from NDHS 2018 (stunting 14.8%, underweight 6.1%, wasting 2.2%) statistics. Therefore, urgent concerted efforts are required to ensure these statistics improve.
The meeting recognised the State Government and the State House of Assembly for their investment in nutrition; as well as other stakeholders’ commitment to nutrition in the state, which resulted in the successes recorded so far. We hope the trend would be maintained.
The meeting encouraged maintained momentum for the Child Nutrition Fund and the need for maternity protection.
The event brought together a diverse group of participants including Representatives of the State House of Assembly, Ministries of Budget and Economic Planning, Health, Women Affairs, Water resources, representatives from Local Government, Office of the Head of Service, Government Officials, Academia, members of the SCFN, representatives from Civil Society Organizations, international development partners, healthcare professionals and the media.
The breakfast meeting focused on the following objectives:
To secure commitment from policymakers on implementation of 6 months maternity leave with pay for women of reproductive age
Maintain Commitment for the child nutrition fund in the state
Secure commitment for adequate and prompt release of nutrition funds in the state.
Key discussions and outcomes from the breakfast meeting included:
Extending paid maternity leave to six months, with the local context, will significantly improve the health and well-being of both mothers and their infants. Longer leave periods allow for exclusive breastfeeding, which is critical for the development of the child and the health of the mother.
Extended maternity leave can lead to higher job satisfaction, and improved productivity. Additionally, it strengthens family bonds.
The importance of increased nutrition budget and ensuring timely release and utilization was emphasised.
The importance of leveraging innovative financing mechanisms like UNICEF’s Child Nutrition Fund (CNF) was highlighted.
The growing concerns related to young mothers disinterest in exclusive breastfeeding and the importance of continuous engagement with all stakeholders was stressed. Participants called for robust advocacy efforts to raise awareness about the benefits of extended maternity leave and to garner public and political support.
The importance of having safe spaces (creches) for mothers to breastfeed their babies while at work as an initiative for appropriate maternity protection was underscored.
Resolutions:
The Meeting has recognised the importance of extended maternity leave. The legislative is waiting for drafted bills to facilitate the process in the house.
The executive is very crucial in implementing. All MDAs should establish creches or breastfeeding rooms
To sensitise the grassroots on the importance of exclusive breastfeeding and other health promotion issues to dispel harmful myths and misconceptions
To ensure job security and supportive workplace for working mothers
There should be adequate monitoring and evaluation of nutrition activities in the state including the six months paid maternity leave.
To ensure prompt release of adequate funds for nutrition activities in the State.
To champion breastfeeding corners in workplaces
In conclusion, the breakfast meeting on extending paid maternity leave and improved nutrition budget in Enugu State was a significant step towards enhancing the welfare of working mothers and children, promoting gender equity, and fostering a more supportive work environment. Participants are committed to taking the necessary actions to realize the benefits of this policy extension and increased funding and release for nutrition activities in the state.”
SIGNED,
Rt. Hon. Ezenta Ezeani,
Deputy Speaker
Chairman
Author: Maureen Ikpeama