Speakers advocate extension of maternity leave for working mothers
Speakers at the launch of the 14th anniversary of the Young Action Movement (YAM), the youth wing of the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG), have advocated the immediate roll-out of a comprehensive public policy to extend maternity leave for working mothers.
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The current national policy provides for a three-month maternity leave for mothers, but the immediate past Treasurer of PPAG, Mrs Aku Xornam Kevi, said that period was too short for mothers to be reconditioned for work after delivery.
"We are also adding that corporate Ghana should allow fathers to take paternity leave as well, so that they can support mothers to build a healthy family," she said.
Mrs Kevi further advocated a deliberate public policy to extend tax credits to parents with children at home, saying that would be a major step to supporting underprivileged mothers.
YAM anniversary
The 14th anniversary of YAM which was launched on the theme. "Redefining Youth Sexual Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) for a Sustainable Demographic Dividend," focused on how the government could invest in the huge potential of young people to promote national development.
It was attended by officials from PPAG, development partners, government agencies and a section of the public.
Touching on the potential of young people, Mrs Kevi observed that considering the fact that young people constituted a significant proportion of the population, it was important for both the public and private sector policies to be targeted at investing in them.
"Addressing the needs of young people in a holistic way, including health financing, education and employment opportunities for them, is crucial for the socio-economic development of the country," she said.
Invest in the youth
For her part, the President of YAM, Ms Janet Ahiagba, said a worthy investment in the youth was the most sustainable way by which the development agenda of the country could be pursued.
"The national and global communities are confronted with issues ranging from rural-urban migration, reproductive health rights for men and women, social security, to human rights; however, none of these issues will make sense when governments fail to enhance the life of young people," she said.
She called for concerted efforts to extend education on reproductive health rights to promote the health of young people.
The acting YAM Coordinator, Ms Irene Amponsah Siaw, urged members of YAM to continue to be shining examples for other young people.
She urged young people to believe in themselves and stay away from negative attitudes that had the potential to affect their development.