1. Work? Breastfeeding How can we make it Roger Mathisen | Alive & Thrive
How many of you are parents etc…
Work?
Roger Mathisen | Alive & Thrive
2nd World Breastfeeding Conference | Johannesburg, South Africa | 13 December 2016

2. The world is still not a friendly place
for many women wanting to breastfeed
You rarely hear a woman saying: ‘I don't want to breastfeed’. You hear women saying: ‘I can't breastfeed’.”
Slide borrowed from France Begin, UNICEF NYHQ.

3. Women in the labor force
World: 1,340,000,000
Asia: ,000,000
Africa: ,000,000
Do they work in a breastfeeding-friendly environment?
Will others enter the labor force if breastfeeding-friendly?
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators, 2013, ILO KILM database

4. Using unfriendly spaces Find a friendly workplace
Leave the workforce
Not breastfeed
Choices working moms have to make
Using unfriendly spaces
Find a friendly workplace
Imagine being a working mom. Which choices do you have?

5. Why workplace lactation programs?
Government / Society
Comply with recommendations
Lower health system costs
Utilize community resources
Build future human resources
Employer
Comply with regulations
Cost-effective investment
Gain positive image
Lower absenteeism
Gain morale and loyalty
Invest in workforce
Employee
Reduce absence to take care of ill children
Improve productivity
Lower health care cost for mother and child
Follow best practices for child development
Focus on the Employers at this meeting.

6. Alive & Thrive experience in Viet Nam
Time for breastfeeding:
Paid maternity leave extended to 6 months in 2011 Labor Code.
1 hour paid break regulated.
Space & support for breastfeeding:
Workplace lactation programs at 70 locations in 10 provinces.
Outreach: > 160,000 female staff.
Experience used by Ministry of Labor to formulate sub-law.
More details in the toolkit handed out.

7. Partnership model VGCL – Viet Nam General Confederation of Labor
A&T – Alive & Thrive

8. Examples from businesses in Viet Nam
4,500 female workers
6 months paid maternity leave
Lactation room + breaks to express milk
Infants grant of 7$ / month
7$ for pregnancy trimester check-up appointments
17,000 female workers
6 months paid maternity leave
Lactation room + breaks to express milk
Reproductive health check-ups and laboratory test
Kindergarten and free tuition for children of staff
Events to praise and award children for academic results
Canon – Electronics
Pouchen - Shoe
Meiko - Electronics
2,460 female workers
6 months paid maternity leave
Lactation room + breaks to express milk
Flexible unpaid leave for breastfeeding after 6 months
Free iron supplements at pregnancy check-ups
Extra meals for pregnant and lactating workers

9. Feedback from participants
“Now we have our own space to express breast milk, which I used to throw away before. I want to send a big thank to the program and the leaders of my bank for their kind support.” Ngo Thi Duyen, Maritime Bank, Hanoi
“Breastmilk is the most precious nutrient for young children. As a foreign investment company, we understand the importance of breastfeeding and commit to supporting the Workplace Program and providing a favorable climate for female workers.”
Lee Hyung Jin, Deputy Director of Taekwang Vina
Taekwang Vina – Nike supplier

10. How can you support? Governments Employers Employees
Maternity protection and workplace policies
Mechanism to recognize and award employers
Support employers to scale-up
Employers
Comply with regulations for space, time and support
Commit to investing in human resources
No push for early return after maternity leave
Non-discriminatory hiring practices
Monitor and report
Focus on Employers at this meeting
Employees
Claim rights to maternity protection entitlements
Responsible and planed birth spacing
Study information materials
Avail employer support

11. How can we support? GLOBAL SOUTHEAST ASIA VIETNAM
Through SUN Business Networks and other platforms
This year is the last year of A&T project and also the last year of workplace program. However, the results of this program is now spreading further, beyond the country.
In Viet Nam, 70 BF are self sustaining, beside 30 BF set up by Vinh Phuc from the budget of local authorities, and other 15 BF set up by banking industry’s Labor Union.
At the regional level, the technical aspects of this program is being shared with other 7 countries, and at global level, thru SUN business network and other platform, the Toolkit to implement the workplace program is being shared with international business communities.
Support
Technical Assistance
Tool adaptation
Monitoring & Evaluation
Knowledge exchange

12. Regional knowledge exchange and technical support for policy advocacy.
Results in SEA:
Myanmar: Women working in the public sector are now entitled to six months maternity leave with the approval of the Civil Servants Law, and workers in the private sector are entitled to 14 weeks with the new Social Security Law.
Thailand: The fourth edition of the Social Security Act was approved offering entitlements to all levels of workers under the Social Security Office Scheme, including an extension of the maternity leave allowance using public funds from 45 to 90 days.
Viet Nam: To further support the implementation of the Labor Law and maternity protection, Government Decree 85 came into effect in 2016 regulating the conditions for female workers. In implementing Decree 85, setting up workplace lactation spaces was officially added into the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor’s monitoring indicators.
Lao PDR: Law on Government Employees and Civil Servants was amended in late 2015 to extend maternity leave for civil servants from three to five months effective from 14 May 2016.
Indonesia: Aceh province adopted a provincial decree regarding exclusive breastfeeding in August 2016 which provides 20 days leave before the due date and six months of maternity leave, and eight days of post-natal paternity leave for workers in the formal sector.

13. The process for policy change
“How to advocate”
guide available
on our website
Southeast Asia:
6 countries with improved maternity protection legislation

14. Thank you!
Biggest learning from the workplace program: That it’s possible, low cost and high returns. All it needs is a champion in a company to say “yes” and invest in women and children.

15. www.aliveandthrive.org STAY CONNECTED WITH ALIVE & THRIVE
@aliveandthrive
Alive & Thrive is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the governments of Canada and Ireland and managed by FHI 360.