Tharoor urges paid maternity leave for informal-sector women as breastfeeding rates fall

New Delhi: Senior Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday called for paid maternity leave and stronger employment protections for women working in the informal sector, citing a sharp decline in exclusive breastfeeding rates among infants under six months.

In a post on X addressed to Union Health Minister JP Nadda and Union Women and Child Development Minister Annapurna Devi, Tharoor referred to data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6), highlighting a decline in exclusive breastfeeding even as institutional deliveries have increased significantly.

"A curious data point, and what it might mean: According to the latest NFHS-6 data, while institutional deliveries in our country have soared to an impressive 90.6%, exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) rates for infants under six months have sharply declined from 63.7% to 55.8%. This alarming drop is steepest in rural areas and major states like Uttar Pradesh and Haryana," he said.

Tharoor said the figures point to a gap between government policy and the realities faced by working mothers, particularly those employed in the unorganised sector.

"This decline exposes a tragic disconnect between public policy and ground reality. Over 16 crore women toil in India's unorganised sector," he added.

According to Tharoor, many women working in informal employment return to work within weeks of giving birth to support their families financially. He said the lack of paid maternity leave and job security makes it difficult for mothers to exclusively breastfeed their children for the recommended six months.

"Without paid maternity leave or job security, thousands of working mothers are forced back into informal labour within weeks of delivery just to survive, making the recommended six months of exclusive breastfeeding an economic impossibility," he said.

The Congress MP also linked the decline to broader structural challenges, including the increasing prevalence of C-section deliveries and the marketing of infant formula substitutes.

"This crisis is further exacerbated by a sharp rise in C-section deliveries and the aggressive marketing of infant formula substitutes. Breast milk is a child’s ultimate shield against malnutrition and infant mortality. The answer lies in the Government and employers extending robust financial maternity benefits to the informal sector, strictly enforcing the Infant Milk Substitutes (IMS) Act, and strengthening postnatal lactation counselling across all health centres. Is anyone planning any such action?" he questioned.

Tharoor's remarks come amid concerns over the challenges faced by women in informal employment, where access to maternity benefits and job security remains limited. He urged the government and employers to strengthen financial support, enforce existing regulations and expand postnatal lactation counselling to improve support for new mothers.