This MCH bill is here as a hope that our children, as the nation's successors, can get an optimal growth and development process.Jakarta (ANTARA) - The draft Law on Maternal and Child Welfare (KIA) aims to create superior human resources in Indonesia, House Speaker Puan Maharani has said.
"We expect that the Bill on Maternal and Child Welfare, which is included in the list of the National Legislation Program Priority 2022, will be completed soon. This bill is important to (develop) Indonesia's (great) generation," Maharani said in a statement here on Monday.
She issued the statement in response to a decision reached by the Legislative Body at the House of Representatives (DPR) on June 9, 2022, on holding further discussions on the bill with the government.
The Maternal and Child Welfare Bill focuses on the golden age of a child, a crucial period in a child's growth and development, which is often associated with the first 1,000 days of life as a determinant of the child's future, she opined.
Thus, the bill emphasizes the importance of managing the well-being of mothers and children in a directed, integrated, and sustainable manner.
"This must be a collective effort by the central government, regional governments, and the community to meet the basic needs of mothers and children," she added.
The House Speaker then listed a number of basic rights of mothers, including the right to obtain health services, avail health insurance during pregnancy, and receive special treatment and facilities in public facilities and infrastructure.
They also need to be provided a sense of security and comfort as well as protection from all forms of violence and discrimination, including in the workplace.
If anything goes wrong in the first 1,000 days of life, it would have an impact on children, Maharani highlighted. If those crucial days are not filled with proper care, it is feared that children may fail to grow and develop well, and their intelligence would not be optimal.
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"This MCH bill is here as a hope that our children, as the nation's successors, can get an optimal growth and development process. It is the state's duty to ensure that the next generation grows into (capable) human resources who can make this nation even greater," she said.
She stressed that mothers, including the ones who work, must have sufficient time to provide breast milk for their children.
"Working mothers must have sufficient time to produce (provide) breast milk during working hours," she added.
“The MCH Bill also stipulates at least six months of maternity leave, and (mothers) cannot be dismissed from work. In addition, mothers who are on maternity leave must continue to receive salaries from corporate social security and corporate social responsibility funds,” she added.
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She said that maternity leave was previously regulated by Law No. 13 of 2003 about Manpower, which set its duration at only three months. However, in the MCH Bill, the maternity leave period has been extended to six months, with a 1.5-month rest period for working mothers who experience a miscarriage.
Maharani also said that the bill stipulates the wages for mothers who are on maternity leave. For the first three months of the leave period, they will receive a full salary, and starting from the fourth month, they will get 70 percent of their salary.
The rearrangement of the maternity leave period is important to ensure children's growth and development as well as the recovery of mothers after delivery.
Maharani said she expects the government will be committed to supporting the regulations in the bill for the future of the nation's new generation.
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Translator: Imam B, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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