Naa Momo Lartey, the Minister-designate for Gender, Children and Social Protection, has proposed extending maternity leave for women to six months to enhance the well-being of mothers and their children.
During her appearance before Parliament's Appointments Committee on Wednesday, January 22, Naa Momo Lartey reaffirmed her commitment to championing improved maternity leave policies in Ghana.
She highlighted the need for employers to consider extending the current three-month maternity leave period, emphasizing that a longer leave would allow mothers sufficient time to recover and care for their newborns effectively. "It is important for women to have a prolonged leave period, not only to take care of the children but also to properly heal.
As an employer, I will encourage you that if you even have the opportunity to grant six months leave, please do that." She pledged to work closely with stakeholders, including civil society organizations (CSOs), Non-Governmental organizations (NGOs), and gender advocates, to realize this objective. "I will sit with all stakeholders, CSOs who are deep into it, and I will join the many advocates to look at what is best and ensure that we push it.
