Oyo State government is set to extend maternity leave for pregnant and nursing mothers from four to six months in the employ of the State.
Also, men in the state civil service will soon begin to enjoy paternity leave.
The extension by two months is necessary so that adequate care would be given to the newborn while the mothers also have the privilege to take care of themselves
The State Commissioner, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, Faosat Sanni stated this at a 2-day workshop on ‘Safe Motherhood’, organized by Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Oyo state chapter, held at Dapo Aderogba Hall, NUJ Press Center, Iyaganku, Ibadan.
Sanni said the present administration under the leadership of Seyi Makinde supported every key aspect of motherhood in order to promote well being of women and children in the State.
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The commissioner emphasized that the administration has been promoting, educating, empowering, protecting children and women from all forms of abuse, while also supporting them financially, especially for those in need of financial help.
“Safe motherhood is serious that every government must put in the front burner of discussions, it will bring about a happy home and promote a progressive society,” she hinted.
Also in her remarks, the Chairman, House Committee on Women Affairs And Community Development, Wumi Oladeji while speaking on the State House of Assembly’s contribution to Safe Motherhood, said the Assembly has been gender-friendly and has enacted laws to take adequate care of the interest of women and children, adding that, Oyo state House of Assembly was the first to domesticate the Child Rights Law (2006) in the country.
Other gender-friendly laws enacted by the House as mentioned by the lawmaker are Violence Against Women (2016), Oyo State Family Planning, Reproductive Health and Maternity Services Law, (2019), Oyo State Kidnapping (Prohibition) Law, (2016).
Oladeji said the House also has some Bills under processing that were meant to protect the interest of women, such as Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Bill, 2019; Child Sexual Offences Bill, (2019); and Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Response Team and Referral Centre Bill, (2020).
Declaring the workshop opened, the State Commissioner for Information, Culture, and Tourism, Wasiu Olatunbosun said, the state government has been doing its best to reduce the suffering of women through every means possible, which he said has brought succor to their lives.
The commissioner said with free education policy, most women have been able to send their children to school as the majority of them used to bear the burden of taking care of the home front.
Olatunbosun advised women to be prayerful, support their husbands, and raise their children well while striving to be at the top of their careers.
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