DAR ES SALAAM: THE Reproductive Health Rights Network has congratulated the government for successfully extending maternity leave for all employees who give birth to premature and low-birth-weight babies.
Speaking during a press conference with journalists, the National Vice Chairperson of the Tanzania Union of Government and Health Employees (TUGHE) Dr Jane Mandete, expressed great joy over the government’s decision to prioritize this issue.
“A big congratulations to the government and Parliament for passing this law, which allows a mother who gives birth to a premature baby to have her maternity leave counted from the time the baby reaches 40 weeks from birth,” said Dr Madete.
She added that the existence of this law will help safeguard the well-being of employees who give birth to premature babies, as many of them have been living in fear of losing their jobs.
Dr Madete said, “TUGHE, TUCTA, and the Reproductive Health Network under the Doris Mollel Foundation, as key stakeholders in the health sector and employee welfare, commend the government for this step because, to us, it demonstrates how seriously they have taken this matter.”
On her side, Doris Mollel Foundation, Chief Executive Officer, Dr Doris Mollel, said that it was never easy to convince the government to look at the Employment and Labour Relations Act, Cap. 366 as they started the movement in 2017.
“We started this process in 2017, and it was difficult, and we were often discouraged. However, we later joined health workers (TUGHE), and eventually, we united with more than 200 organisations to take this matter to parliament, and now it has been addressed,” said Dr Mollel.
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She said that now workers will have relief and will no longer fear losing their jobs due to giving birth to premature babies and the truth is that many mothers who give birth to premature babies go through very difficult times.
Speaking on behalf of Women Fund Tanzania Trust (WFTT), Senior Program Officer Feminist Women and Children Movement Strengthening, Agnes Mtuhi said that there is still a significant challenge in educating people about premature babies, especially in rural areas.
She emphasized that it is everyone’s responsibility to have the correct knowledge about premature babies and to recognize that they have the right to live and are just like any other children.
The Labour Laws (Amendments) No.13) Bill, 2024 that was tabled by Minister for Minerals Anthony Mavunde, on behalf of Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (Youth, Labour and People with Disabilities) Ridhiwani Kikwete, carried out amendments to the Employment and Labour Relations Act, Chapter 366, the Labour Institutions Act, Chapter 300 and the Non-Citizens (Employment Regulation) Act, Chapter 436.
Under the amendments carried out yesterday, Section 33 of the Employment and Labour Relations Act, Cap. 366 was amended to increase the period of maternity leave for an employee who gives birth to a premature child by including the remaining time up to the completion of thirty-six weeks of pregnancy.
After the amendment was carried out, the section now reads: “An employee who gives birth to a premature child is entitled to a paid maternity leave from the date of giving birth up to the completion of the thirty-six weeks of pregnancy and maternity leave period provided under subsection (6) within the leave cycle.”
