During the
discussion, TUGHE Secretary General and Trade Union Congress of Tanzania
(TUCTA) Secretary General, Cde. Hery Mkunda, accentuated the difficulties faced
by employees.
“Employees
who give birth to premature babies encounter significant challenges, including
insufficient time to provide the necessary care for their infants and
inadequate access to their rightful workplace benefits,” Mkunda said.
He urged
the Minister to take immediate action, stating, “We need the government to
honor its promise of extending maternity leave, as announced by Vice President
Dr. Philip Isdor Mpango during the May Day celebrations in Arusha.”
Minister
Ridhiwan Kikwete responded positively to the concerns.
“I assure
you that we will address these issues with urgency and diligence. Our goal is
to ensure that the extension of maternity leave is implemented effectively, in
line with our commitment to protecting the health and well-being of both
mothers and their children.” Mr. Kikwete stated.
The next
steps involve several key actions. First, the Ministry of Labor will begin
drafting legislation to extend maternity leave specifically for employees with
premature babies. This draft will be developed based on the feedback from
today’s meeting.
Following
the drafting, consultations with various stakeholders, including labor unions
and health experts, will be conducted to refine the proposed legislation. The
draft will then undergo review by the Ministry of Labor and other government
bodies before being submitted to the Cabinet and Parliament for approval.
Once the
legislation is passed, a public awareness campaign will be launched to inform
employers and employees about the new rights and benefits. The Ministry of
Labor will oversee the implementation of the legislation and monitor its
effectiveness, with feedback mechanisms in place to address any issues.
Doris
Mollel, Director of the Doris Mollel Foundation, expressed gratitude for the
government’s collaboration.
“We appreciate the ongoing dialogue with the government on premature baby issues. However, our foundation continues to receive complaints from employees who feel their rights are not being fully recognized. We urge the government to expedite the passage of legislation that will address these concerns,” Mollel said.
The meeting was also attended by Deputy Secretary General from the Ministry, Ms. Zuhura Yunusi, Acting Deputy Secretary General of TUCTA, Mr. Said Wamba, and Deputy Secretary General of TUGHE, Mr. Rugemalira Rutatina.
