TUESDAY, 19TH FEBRUARY 2019 (13h00)
Ground floor foyer, School of Public Health
Prof Uta Lehmann, Director: School of Public Health and Prof Ernie Kunneke, HOD: Department of Dietetics and Nutrition cordially invite you to the launch of a dedicated breastfeeding room for UWC staff, students and visitors to our main campus.
The South African Code of Good Practice on the Protection of Employees during Pregnancy and after the Birth of a Child – which forms part of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (No. 75 of 1997 as amended), stipulates that arrangements should be made for employees who are breastfeeding to have breaks of 30 minutes twice per day for breastfeeding or milk expression each working day for the first six months of the child’s life.* This is consistent with recommendations provided by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in its Maternity Protection Convention of 2000.
However, finding a suitable and private space for moms to breastfeed or express their breastmilk whilst at work is inevitably a challenge. This UNICEF health promotion campaign in China illustrates the reality of the problem: http://www.unicef.org/nutrition/index_24824.html
By establishing the first formal breastfeeding room for mothers on the UWC campus we are trying to change this. As public health professionals we know that supporting breastfeeding in the workplace makes good sense as it will contribute to the health and well-being of our children, mothers and our society.
We look forward to you joining us at the launch of what, we hope, will be one of many breastfeeding rooms established on the various UWC campuses.
We would appreciate it if you could RSVP to Tamlin Petersen, SOPH at: tpetersen@uwc.ac.za by Tuesday, 12th February 2019.