The inauguration of a workplace crèche at the United Nations House in Cape Point is more than the opening of a childcare facility. It is a practical demonstration of how employers can create working environments that recognise the realities faced by parents, particularly breastfeeding mothers.
For many working women, returning to work after childbirth can present a difficult choice between professional responsibilities and the need to care for and breastfeed their children. When workplaces fail to provide adequate support, mothers may be forced to stop breastfeeding earlier than recommended, leave their babies far from them during working hours, or struggle to balance childcare with their careers.
The United Nations initiative offers a simple but important solution. By allowing mothers to remain close to their babies and continue breastfeeding during working hours, the crèche promotes both employee wellbeing and the healthy development of children.
The timing of the initiative is also significant, coming at the end of World Breastfeeding Week, observed from 1 to 7 August. The campaign reminds governments, employers and communities that breastfeeding is not merely a private matter between a mother and her child. It is an important public health and development issue.
The Gambia already has provisions under the Women’s Act 2010 that provide employed women with six months of paid maternity leave and daily nursing breaks. However, laws alone are not enough. Their effectiveness depends on implementation, awareness and the willingness of employers to create conditions that allow women to exercise these rights without fear of discrimination or professional disadvantage.
The UN crèche should therefore encourage other institutions, businesses and government departments to examine what more they can do to support working parents. Not every employer may have the resources to establish a full-scale crèche, but practical alternatives such as designated breastfeeding spaces, flexible working arrangements, nursing breaks and childcare partnerships can make a meaningful difference.
Supporting breastfeeding mothers should not be viewed as a favour or a burden on employers. It is an investment in healthier children, more productive employees and a more inclusive workforce.
The initiative also sends an important message about gender equality. Women should not have to choose between motherhood and meaningful participation in the workplace. Employers have a responsibility to ensure that parenthood does not become a barrier to career advancement.
The UN’s workplace crèche is therefore a welcome example of turning policy into practice. The challenge now is for government, private employers and civil society organisations to build on this example and make breastfeeding-friendly workplaces a normal feature of employment in The Gambia.