The UNICEF under the UNICEF-led Mothers@Work initiative has partnered with Bangladesh’s garment makers’ bodies – the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) and the Bangladesh Garments’ Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), to support apparel units to provide breastfeeding spaces and breaks.
As per a press release issued in this direction, the initiative will also ensure paid maternity leave, cash benefits, health care, childcare facilities, employment protection and a safe work environment for working mothers and pregnant women even if evidence shows that paid time off, support for breastfeeding and antenatal services contribute to healthier children and happier families as well as workforce productivity, gender equality and sustainable economic growth.
It may be mentioned here that Bangladesh apparel sector, employing nearly 4 million people, half of which are women of reproductive age, is the second largest clothing exporter in the world, contributing about 11 per cent to Bangladesh’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
