STU/66th Council/15/020
9 June 2015
UNESCO Policy on Breastfeeding Goes Against WHO Recommendations
“Breastfeeding is an unequalled way of providing ideal food for the healthy growth and development of infants …. Review of evidence has shown that, on a population basis,exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months is the optimal way of feeding infants.”
WHO, http://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/exclusive_breastfeeding/en/
As the quote shows, the World Health Agency (WHO) – the UN health agency – is campaigning in favor of exclusive breastfeeding for at least 6 months, based on scientific evidence. At the same time, UNESCO – the UN agency dedicated to culture, education and science – abolishes its breastfeeding leave of one month, thus reducing the overall length of maternity leave from 5 to 4 months for the majority of female staff concerned.
When the administrative circular AC/HR/42 abolishing the “breastfeeding month” came out in the autumn last year, STU and AIPU released a joint note (see communiqué of 14 October 2014 entitled “A new suppression of acquired rights”) condemning this regressive and unjustified measure.
In her reply of 15 October 2014, DIR/HRM claimed that the breastfeeding month was a “unique measure adopted only by UNESCO,” and that it was cancelled in order to harmonize the staff rights of the common UN system (paragraph 3 of Memo HRM/SPL/14/99).
The thing is… this argument doesn’t hold water. HRM’s implication that maternity leave across the UN system is limited to a maximum of 16 weeks and no or less additional time is accorded for breastfeeding is erroneous and misleading. To prove this, STU conducted a little survey of existing Staff Rules and Regulations, and we’re happy to share with you the results below.
Conclusion
Whether you look at this issue from the health viewpoint or using pure administrative logic of UN-wide alignment, we fail to see why UNESCO had to abolish the additional “breastfeeding month”.
In this light, STU reiterates its request that the Administration withdraw the AC/HR/42 and reinstate the “breastfeeding month” that was widely appreciated by and beneficial for its staff, not forgetting our female colleagues employed on different non-staff contracts who have, unjustly, never had a right to this entitlement.
If you support STU in this, please sign the petition**before 16 June 2015**:
https://fr.surveymonkey.com/s/PQTSNQ3
Survey of Existing Staff Rules and Regulations
WHO Staff Rule 760.2 – 3
http://www.who.int/employment/staff_regulations_rules/EN_staff_regulations_and_staff_rules.pdf
“Maternity leave shall extend for a period of 16 weeks from the time it is
granted (…). A nursing mother shall be allowed additional maternity leave
of sufficient time each day to nurse her child.”
WIPO Staff Rule 6.2.3
http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/erecruitment/en/pdf/staff_rules_part_a.pdf
a.3. “[a staff member] shall be entitled to maternity leave on full pay for
the entire duration of her absence in accordance with subparagraphs (1) and
(2) above, which period of maternity leave shall not be less than 16 weeks
[STU note: the rule says “shall not be less” – it doesn’t say “shall not be
more”!]
e. “A staff member who returns to duty following maternity leave, may take two
hours per day to breastfeed her newborn child until the child reaches the age
of 12 months. Post-maternity leave entitlements shall be defined in an Office
Instruction.”
UNDP Breastfeeding Policy
https://info.undp.org/global/popp/hrm/Pages/time-off-brstfg.aspx
Female breastfeeding staff members may leave the office up to two times a day
for the purpose of breastfeeding their infant (s) or expressing milk outside
of the workplace. The following is the maximum duration of absence for such
purposes:
UNHCR Staff Administration and Management Manual - Updated May 2014
Section 6.3 – Maternity Leave
6.3.15 A staff member who returns to duty following Maternity Leave may,
subject to exigencies of service, be authorised to take a maximum of two hours
per day (including commuting time) or, alternatively, one day off per week
plus two additional hours off during one of the remaining working days of the
week until the child one year old. The staff member will, in effect, be
working on 75% basis whilst receiving full salary during that period so as to
provide adequate child support during his or her first year of life.
6.3.18 In the same spirit: a) upon completion of Adoption Leave, mothers of
adopted infants and b) upon entry on duty, newly-recruited staff who are
nursing a baby less than a year old, may avail themselves of the same reduced
working hours until the baby is one year old.
UNICEF
According to the information published by the Federations of United Nations
Staff Associations in their recent survey on the compensation review, UNICEF
has even increased its maternity leave to 24 weeks.