Mumbai: Breastfeeding is something young mothers need to do, and are compelled to do so in public places, which makes them uncomfortable. To safeguard women’s right to privacy, the K west ward (Andheri, Juhu, Vile Parle) has agreed to dedicating one room on their premises for baby care and breastfeeding.
The proactive plan is the brainchild of a BJP corporator and Prabhag Samiti (ward committee) chairman (K West) Ward Aneesh Makwaaney. After getting K west ward to allot a room on its premise as baby care/feeding room Makwaaney has now written to Municipal Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi to make it mandatory for all 24 administrative ward offices to allot one room in their premises for baby care and feeding.
“Breastfeeding in public has become a debatable issue as young mothers find it difficult to manage to nurse their little ones when they are traveling or visiting any public places.
Ward offices are one such example where many women have to visit for the birth certificate of their child or even otherwise. Compelled to nurse their infants in public is still a state of awkwardness for these young mothers," said Makwaaney.
In 2017, former Congress corporator Steffi Kini, who reported to BMC headquarters for work with her baby Sanchez Gracias. In the absence of a baby care room or a separate room, Steffi was compelled to feed her son sitting on the staircase or in the security officer's cabin.
Makwaaney added that by not providing a space/room for feeding infants government offices are hampering women's right to privacy. He said: "Women are harassed and mocked by the public at large in such scenarios. I have written to the municipal commissioner to extend this facility in all ward offices by making it mandatory for them to allot a room for baby care/ feeding."
Following Makwaaney's letter to the assistant commissioner of the K west ward, the ward office is mulling constructing a room within the office of the ward's medical health officer.
"We have already allotted a temporary space as baby care and feeding in the ward office for now. We are renovating the officer of the medical health officer, which is where we will provide a space that can be used for baby care and feeding by women visitors," said assistant municipal commissioner Vishwas Mote.
