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Sharjah to become totally baby-friendly by 2015

SHARJAH — Sharjah launched the region’s first-of-its-kind campaign to make it completely baby and mother-friendly by 2015 by providing privacy to mothers to breastfeed their children in public places and offices.

Asma Ali Zain

Published: Fri 2 Mar 2012, 9:58 AM

Last updated: Fri 3 Apr 2015, 4:53 PM

Under the campaign, the emirate’s health facilities, nurseries, public places (including shopping malls, parks and museums) as well as government and private workplaces will have to provide a facility where mothers can breastfeed their babies in private.

Plans are also afoot to depute mobile vans at public events such as the Sharjah Water Festival and Light Shows for lactating mothers.

According to a decree issued by His Highness Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, all facilities will have to fulfill their responsibility towards the community and work towards achieving a three-year accreditation to become baby-friendly.

In her opening address, Shaikha Bodour bint Sultan, President of the Sharjah Baby Friendly Campaign (SBFC) stressed on the basic right of children to grow in a healthy environment. “We invite people to participate in the campaign and provide ideal opportunities to the UAE children to live safely and in a healthy atmosphere,” she said.

Committing to the cause, Maryam Al Roumi, Minister of Social Affairs said that a number of changes had been proposed to benefit child nutrition at the federal level including establishment of nurseries at workplaces. “By August, during the World Breastfeeding Week, we hope to embrace these proposals at the government level,” she said.

The campaign is a result of a number of surveys that have proved that breastfeeding plays an important role in the health of babies.

A number of federal regulations have been issued in 2006 and 2008 that allow extended maternity leave. In Sharjah, working women from the government sector who are lactating can also take leave of absence to feed their children for two hours during the first six months after delivery and one hour for the following six months.

Breastfeeding facts

Mothers’ milk acts like a vaccine
It helps good bacteria to grow while one bottle of formula milk removes it
It’s a pain reliever and pacifier for the baby
Breastfeeding has a calming effect on the baby
Breast milk can be left at room temperature for several hours
It can reduce the need for dental braces

“This means that women take 393 hours per year to feed their children, and according to a study done in government organisations, 75 per cent of mothers are exercising this right,” said Tariq Sultan bin Khadem, Executive Council Member and Head of Human resources Department. Several hospitals across the UAE have already joined the baby friendly hospital initiative. “A joint study conducted by Unicef and the Supreme Council of Motherhood and Childhood in the UAE revealed that 92.2 per cent of mothers breastfed their children at the time of birth and only 52.9 per cent continued to do so after the baby is three months old,” said Nancy Merheb, Researcher at Unicef Gulf.

A number of private companies have already committed to participate in the initiative, said Khulood Al Nuami, General Coordinator of the campaign. “Most breastfeeding mothers rely on artificial baby milk wherever they go and research has proven that babies who are not breastfed have an increased risk of developing infections, allergies and chronic diseases later on in life,” she said. The campaign will, however, be implemented in three years in phases, she added.

Sultan Al Mualla, Director-General of the Sharjah Municipality also said that specifications of the breastfeeding rooms will be worked out and distributed to stakeholders accordingly.

On the occasion, the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry opened the first fully equipped baby-friendly room for employees and visitors to its premises.

asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com