Hans News Service New Delhi

RajyaSabha MP Dr K Laxman on Thursday submitted a representation to the National Commission for Women (NCW) seeking a comprehensive law for safeguarding the rights of breastfeeding mothers and infants.

In his representation to the commission, the MP highlighted that several laws and schemes in the country mandate the provision of crèche facilities at workplaces. However, there is no uniform law that guarantees the right of mothers to breastfeed their infants with privacy and dignity in public places.

This situation underscores the urgent need to establish feeding rooms, child-care rooms, and human milk banks in public institutions across the country.

Though there are several advisories, he said that most of those initiatives are scattered. A fragmented legal framework could not be enforced, leading to “mothers travelling to access railway stations, airports, metro stations, bus terminals, courts, universities, government offices, parks and other public places have been facing difficulties,” he added.

Dr Laxman, in his representation, urged the NCW to recommend to the Centre a comprehensive enactment of the “Mother and Child Care (Public Facilities, Breastfeeding Support and Human Milk Bank) Act.

This would help enforce rights by providing necessary infrastructure, he said. Also, added rising the issue during the zero hour, as there is a pressing need for such an act in the country.