Maternity leave: Parity sought for delivery and miscarriage

Manama : MP Ghazi Al Rahma has submitted a proposal for parity between maternity leave granted for mothers who delivered and those who suffered miscarriages.

The proposal submitted by the independent MP said that “women who have a miscarriage after six months of pregnancy or deliver a dead fetus should be granted maternity leave equal to the one given for women who have a normal delivery”.

“The Labour Law in the Kingdom guarantees working women are paid 60-day maternity leave after delivery, while it doesn’t mention loss of pregnancy after six months, even though women endure the same conditions and physical pain in both cases, “ Al Rahma clarified.

He justified his proposal further saying, “Women who abort or give birth to a dead fetus may have experienced difficult and exceptional psychological conditions that require time for rest and rehabilitation. 

“The absence of a legislation stipulating her right to be granted leave from work has contributed to many cases in which women are forced to resume work in a very short time after the abortion, without taking into account the difficult mental and physical conditions they have experienced.”

The MP also said that the proposal comes in line with calls made by international labour unions demanding to end discrimination between normal deliveries and abortions, and to be concerned about the outcome of pregnancies, taking women’s health into consideration.  

Al Rahma demanded that pregnant women should be granted at least 40-day leave from work in case of miscarriages.