Latest news with #JaleelaAlawi
Gulf Insider
10-04-2025
- Health
- Gulf Insider
MPs Approve 10 More Days of Maternity Leave
A proposal put forward by four women MPs – Hanan Fardan, Jaleela Alawi, Basma Mubarak and Maryam Al Saiegh – to extend paid maternity leave from 60 to 70 days for private sector workers was approved unanimously by Parliament yesterday. The legal amendment concerns Article 32 of the Labour Law (Law No. 36 of 2012) and retains the current option for an extra 15 days of unpaid leave. The leave remains tied to a medical certificate from a recognised health centre or an employer- approved clinic, showing the expected delivery date. No changes were made to the structure of eligibility, only to the number of paid days. The MPs' proposal followed a period of discussion with the relevant parliamentary services described it as a practical step towards providing women with a longer window of care, both for themselves and their newborns. MP Hanan Fardan, one of the proposal's authors, said the early weeks after birth are not idle days, but filled with return visits to health clinics, vaccinations, and, in some cases, further care when complications arise. 'Scientific studies point to a clear link between extended maternity leave and a lower risk of postnatal depression,' she told the chamber. 'We are not asking for indulgence. We are asking for time, time that can improve a child's health, time that can anchor a mother's return to the workplace with more strength, not less. Seventy days is not an indulgence. It is recovery, it is care, it is continuity.' Reality MP Eman Showaiter also addressed the chamber, focusing on the physical and emotional weight of childbirth, and the state's role in reckoning with that reality. 'A woman carries a child for nine months,' she said. 'Then comes the pain of delivery. Then the nights without sleep. If this doesn't call for rest, then what does?' She criticised responses from ministries and employers, which, in her view, reduced the matter to figures and work schedules. 'They measure everything by money, leave, labour, even birth,' she said. 'But this is about people. It's about the woman. It's about the child. And yes, it concerns the home and the workplace, but also how we reckon care and who we think deserves it.' The Ministry of Labour, in its written response, questioned the effect of the change. It suggested that some employers may grow hesitant to hire women if leave entitlements continue to grow. The ministry also expressed concern over the move's effect on ongoing efforts to align benefits across public and private sectors and said it may set back progress made in integrating Bahraini women into the workforce, particularly as women form the majority of those currently registered as job seekers. The Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) shared that view, stating that thecurrent law already balances work and family needs. Also read: Five Drug Dealers Arrested
Daily Tribune
10-04-2025
- Health
- Daily Tribune
MPs unanimously approve extension of paid maternity leave by 10 days for private sector workers
A proposal put forward by four women MPs — Hanan Fardan, Jaleela Alawi, Basma Mubarak and Maryam Al Saiegh — to extend paid maternity leave from 60 to 70 days for private sector workers was approved unanimously by Parliament yesterday. The legal amendment concerns Article 32 of the Labour Law (Law No. 36 of 2012) and retains the current option for an extra 15 days of unpaid leave. The leave remains tied to a medical certificate from a recognised health centre or an employer-approved clinic, showing the expected delivery date. No changes were made to the structure of eligibility, only to the number of paid days. The MPs' proposal followed a period of discussion with the relevant parliamentary services committee. Supporters described it as a practical step towards providing women with a longer window of care, both for themselves and their newborns. MP Hanan Fardan, one of the proposal's authors, said the early weeks after birth are not idle days, but filled with return visits to health clinics, vaccinations, and, in some cases, further care when complications arise. 'Scientific studies point to a clear link between extended maternity leave and a lower risk of postnatal depression,' she told the chamber. 'We are not asking for indulgence. We are asking for time, time that can improve a child's health, time that can anchor a mother's return to the workplace with more strength, not less. Seventy days is not an indulgence. It is recovery, it is care, it is continuity.' Reality MP Eman Showaiter also addressed the chamber, focusing on the physical and emotional weight of childbirth, and the state's role in reckoning with that reality. 'A woman carries a child for nine months,' she said. 'Then comes the pain of delivery. Then the nights without sleep. If this doesn't call for rest, then what does?' She criticised responses from ministries and employers, which, in her view, reduced the matter to figures and work schedules. 'They measure everything by money, leave, labour, even birth,' she said. 'But this is about people. It's about the woman. It's about the child. And yes, it concerns the home and the workplace, but also how we reckon care and who we think deserves it.' The Ministry of Labour, in its written response, questioned the effect of the change. It suggested that some employers may grow hesitant to hire women if leave entitlements continue to grow. The ministry also expressed concern over the move's effect on ongoing efforts to align benefits across public and private sectors and said it may set back progress made in integrating Bahraini women into the workforce, particularly as women form the majority of those currently registered as job seekers. The Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) shared that view, stating that the current law already balances work and family needs.
Gulf Insider
05-04-2025
- Health
- Gulf Insider
Bahrain: MPs Push To Extend Paid Maternity Leave To 70 Days
Four women MPs, Hanan Fardan, Jaleela Alawi, Basma Mubarak and Maryam Al Saiegh, have brought forward a proposal to extend paid maternity leave in the private sector from sixty to seventy days. The matter is scheduled for a vote in Parliament on Tuesday. Their proposal seeks to amend Article 32 of the Labour Law, which currently allows sixty days of paid leave, to be taken before and after childbirth, with a medical certificate as proof. A further fifteen days of unpaid leave may also be taken. The new draft would increase the paid period by ten days while keeping the unpaid portion unchanged. 'We are guided by the Constitution,' said Fardan. 'It requires the state to support women as they balance family duties and their role in the workforce. This proposal walks in that direction.' She noted that Egypt and Saudi Arabia already provide longer maternity leave, with Egyptian law granting ninety days and Saudi labour rules allowing women to take ten weeks on full pay. The Services Committee, which examined the text, has recommended its approval. In its report, the committee said the amendment is grounded in sound legal reasoning and consistent with the country's stated aim of supporting working families. The Ministry of Labour, however, raised concerns. It argued that while the extension may appear helpful, it risks discouraging employers from hiring women. 'The sixty-day leave currently in place followed thorough study,' the ministry said. 'Lengthening it, while well-meaning, may add strain to small and medium-sized firms who must cover that absence.' It also warned that the amendment would widen the gap in benefits between public and private sector workers and could slow down efforts to improve women's employment rates. The Ministry of Health confirmed that maternity certificates are issued based on the medical condition of the expectant mother and that the sixty-day allowance already matches that of the public sector. The Supreme Council for Women called for caution, warning that the proposed change might make employers more hesitant to hire women. 'Any revision of this kind needs to be weighed against its wider effects,' the Council said, pointing to the importance of preserving balance between workers' rights and business continuity. The Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry urged lawmakers to leave the law as it stands. In its submission, it said the current legal arrangement already offers fair leave while avoiding strain on businesses. It warned that even small changes could create unintended pressure on firms' resources and weaken their ability to grow. The General Federation of Bahrain Trade Unions backed the proposal, saying it aligned with recent moves in other countries to give workers more time to care for their families. The Bahrain Women's Union also expressed support. Its president, Ahlam Rajab, said the change was long overdue. 'There are women who need those extra ten days,' she said. 'Not as a gift but as something earned, something necessary for their own recovery and the care of their newborns.' Parliament is expected to decide on the matter on Tuesday.
Daily Tribune
04-04-2025
- Health
- Daily Tribune
MPs Push to Extend Paid Maternity Leave to 70 Days
Four women MPs, Hanan Fardan, Jaleela Alawi, Basma Mubarak and Maryam Al Saiegh, have brought forward a proposal to extend paid maternity leave in the private sector from sixty to seventy days. The matter is scheduled for a vote in Parliament on Tuesday. Their proposal seeks to amend Article 32 of the Labour Law, which currently allows sixty days of paid leave, to be taken before and after childbirth, with a medical certificate as proof. A further fifteen days of unpaid leave may also be taken. The new draft would increase the paid period by ten days while keeping the unpaid portion unchanged. 'We are guided by the Constitution,' said Fardan. 'It requires the state to support women as they balance family duties and their role in the workforce. This proposal walks in that direction.' She noted that Egypt and Saudi Arabia already provide longer maternity leave, with Egyptian law granting ninety days and Saudi labour rules allowing women to take ten weeks on full pay. The Services Committee, which examined the text, has recommended its approval. In its report, the committee said the amendment is grounded in sound legal reasoning and consistent with the country's stated aim of supporting working families. The Ministry of Labour, however, raised concerns. It argued that while the extension may appear helpful, it risks discouraging employers from hiring women. 'The sixty-day leave currently in place followed thorough study,' the ministry said. 'Lengthening it, while well-meaning, may add strain to small and medium-sized firms who must cover that absence.' It also warned that the amendment would widen the gap in benefits between public and private sector workers and could slow down efforts to improve women's employment rates. The Ministry of Health confirmed that maternity certificates are issued based on the medical condition of the expectant mother and that the sixty-day allowance already matches that of the public sector. The Supreme Council for Women called for caution, warning that the proposed change might make employers more hesitant to hire women. 'Any revision of this kind needs to be weighed against its wider effects,' the Council said, pointing to the importance of preserving balance between workers' rights and business continuity. The Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry urged lawmakers to leave the law as it stands. In its submission, it said the current legal arrangement already offers fair leave while avoiding strain on businesses. It warned that even small changes could create unintended pressure on firms' resources and weaken their ability to grow. The General Federation of Bahrain Trade Unions backed the proposal, saying it aligned with recent moves in other countries to give workers more time to care for their families. The Bahrain Women's Union also expressed support. Its president, Ahlam Rajab, said the change was long overdue. 'There are women who need those extra ten days,' she said. 'Not as a gift but as something earned, something necessary for their own recovery and the care of their newborns.' Parliament is expected to decide on the matter Tuesday.
