Sharjah plans breast-feeding facilities by 2015

Sharjah Breast-feeding facilities will be installed in all Sharjah government departments and public places by 2015.

The campaign was launched by the Supreme Council of Family Affairs in Sharjah in cooperation with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Ministry of Culture, Youth and Community Development.

Abdul Rahman Al Owais, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development and Acting Minister of Health, said: "The campaign intends to change the culture of people and not to be a tangible goal. We want mothers to have the right to breastfeed and have healthy children."

The campaign will be divided into four phases, where it will target 25 per cent of government departments each year over a four-year period.

Other infrastructure

Eng Sultan Al Mualla, director-general of Sharjah Municipality, told Gulf News that breastfeeding rooms will be available in parks as well as in shopping centres.

On whether Sharjah has plans to construct pedestrian pathways for prams, Al Mualla said: "We are constantly working with the Directorate of Public Works to make the infrastructure better. We are on a constant schedule to improve residential areas and in time, we will build pavements and pathways in all residential neighbourhoods."

The Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry will be responsible for holding talks with the private sector and introducing the facilities.

The initiatives of the Baby-Friendly City campaign include introducing mother and baby-friendly public places, health facilities, and breastfeeding nurseries in the workplace.

According to latest Unicef figures, 92.2 per cent of mothers in the UAE only breastfeed their children at the time of birth while 52.9 per cent continue to do so after the baby is three months old.

Khulood Al Nuaimi, general coordinator of the campaign, pointed out that there are currently 50 women employees in the government sector who need breast-feeding facilities.

"During public events, we plan to have a mobile van so that mothers can use those facilities for breast-feeding.

"All governmental departments will have a nursery. We are planning to hold meetings with some private companies so that they may also introduce breastfeeding nurseries."