The RUU KIA will be useful and have a positive impact, mainly starting from birth preparation, birth recovery, and exclusive breastfeeding for the babyJakarta (ANTARA) - The Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture (Kemenko PMK) has voiced support for the provision on six months’ maternity leave in the bill of maternal and child welfare (RUU KIA).
The provision aims to create a superior and quality generation.
"The RUU KIA will be useful and have a positive impact, mainly starting from birth preparation, birth recovery, and exclusive breastfeeding for the baby," deputy for coordination of qualified improvement for children, women, and youth at Kemenko PMK, Femmy Eka Kartika Putri, said on Saturday.
Exclusive breastfeeding could help prevent stunting in children, she added.
Related news: Ministry supports KIA Bill for driving children's development
"Exclusive breastfeeding can optimize maternal health and infant growth and development, while also indirectly maintaining productivity and having a positive impact on family resilience," she said.
Exclusive breastfeeding for six months is also expected to support the acceleration program to reduce stunting prevalence, she added.
"As we all know, exclusive breastfeeding for babies can provide various benefits, such as increasing the baby's immunity and helping the brain and physical development of the baby," Putri noted.
Related news: RUU KIA: Women's commission welcomes 6-month maternity leave provision
The six-month maternity leave would give mothers more time to stimulate their children, considering that stimulation from an early age has many benefits to support the growth and development process, she added.
The RUU KIA would also support programs to increase gender equality, especially in terms of childcare, she said.
Article 6 Paragraph (2) of the RUU KIA stipulates that fathers are entitled to a maximum of 40 working days of accompanying leave.
"This will certainly emphasize that childcare is a shared task, both by the wife and husband," Putri said.
The proposed six-month maternity leave is among the efforts to improve the welfare and fulfill the rights of women workers, she added.
"After giving birth, women usually experience changes in their bodies, starting from postpartum, with various lengths in each woman, to changes in body shape," Putri stated.
Psychologically, the six-month leave would give women more time to make adjustments and adapt to biological and psychological changes, she added.
"Moreover, in this condition, women are prone to experiencing psychological problems such as the 'baby blues' syndrome to postpartum depression, which can last for quite a long time," she noted.
Related news: Minister Effendy lauds maternal, child welfare bill's approval
Related news: Jokowi's visits to Ukraine, Russia strategic for economic recovery
Translator: Wuryanti Puspitasari, Resinta
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2022
