Scientists say that to ensure gender equality, the state should consider breastfeeding as a job. This was reported by Speech.
Sociologists call the reduction in women’s income after the birth of a child, sometimes as much as 55% or more, the “maternity penalty.” In a new report, Australian scientists have made recommendations to tackle economic inequality for new mothers, including increasing paid parental leave and providing affordable pre-school education. However, the authors of the article published in the scientific journal Frontiers in Public Health believe that the fight against the “birth penalty” will not be effective unless measures are taken to support breastfeeding.
Many women choose to stop breastfeeding earlier than recommended. Most of the time, formula is given instead of breast milk because women cannot take their babies to work and pumping milk requires extra time. Additionally, many companies do not encourage breastfeeding in the workplace; Therefore, women who insist on breastfeeding risk being humiliated, underpaid, and denied promotions.
As an example, scientists cite the Norwegian experience, where breastfeeding is seen as an investment in the future of society. In this country, mothers have the right to one hour of paid breastfeeding break a day. For this purpose, special facilities will be arranged in workplaces. Additionally, the prevalence of public breastfeeding in Norway eliminates women’s need for shelter.
The World Health Organization recommends that children be breastfed for two years or more, and that they be exclusively breastfed for the first six months. This reduces the risk of dangerous infections and hospitalization in babies and, in the long term, the risk of breast and ovarian cancer and, some say, type 2 diabetes in women. Taking all this into account, scientists conclude that recognizing breastfeeding as a productive task and including it in policies and budgets will benefit not only women but also society as a whole.
Previously department stores in Australia denied from the sale of artificial stone products.