Health ministry proposes major changes to safe motherhood law

Kathmandu, September 16

The Ministry of Health and Food Safety has begun the process of amending five laws related to the health sector, including the Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health Rights Act, 2018.

The ministry has sent draft amendments to the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs for the next stage of the legal process.

Among the proposed changes is an increase in paid maternity leave from the current 98 days to at least six months.

The draft amendment to the Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health Rights Act also proposes up to 42 days of paid leave for fathers to care for their partners and newborn children.

The proposed changes would also require health institutions providing maternity services to ensure the availability of skilled health workers or trained birth attendants.

The draft includes provisions aimed at ensuring respectful maternity care and preventing physical and psychological violence against pregnant and postpartum women.

According to the secretariat of Health and Food Safety Minister Nisha Mehta, the amendment process seeks to move away from the idea that motherhood is solely a woman’s responsibility and ensure greater participation by fathers in parenting.

“Giving birth is a natural process associated with mothers. But raising a child is not solely the mother’s responsibility,” the ministry said.

It said the proposed provisions are intended to create an environment in which both parents can spend adequate time with their newborn and family during the critical period following childbirth.

The ministry said the amendments are being pursued to make legal provisions on safe motherhood more responsive to changing family structures, lifestyles and the health needs of mothers and newborns.

The proposed amendments will undergo further legal review before being taken forward through the legislative process.

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