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Govt to set up child care centre inside Singhadurbar
KATHMANDU, APR 14 -
In a bid to ease the problems faced by women civil servants, the government has initiated steps to construct a child care centre inside Singhadurbar.
The centre will be established on the premises of the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare. Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal had last year announced this scheme for women civil servants to motivate them. Laxmi Raj Tripathi, under secretary at the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare, said that the Finance Ministry has pledged Rs. 5 million for the centre. However, due to lack of proper space, the centre will be established at a congested area of the ministry.
“We lack adequate space. However, we need to establish the centre as soon as possible,” Tripathi said, “Women civil servants can focus on their work because the centre will care for their children.” According to him, female civil servants face a problem especially with breast-feeding. The government will bear all costs of children up to three years old at the centre, which will include facilities such as healthcare, playing area, and other required facilities.
“The government has realised that the children are not getting sufficient care because their mothers are on duty,” he added.
The government has formed a mechanism to speed up the task under the leadership of the Ministry. Members of the mechanism will include representatives from the Ministries of Local Development, Health, and Home, and from the Kanti Bal Hospital. In the initial stages, we will admit approximately 50 children at the centre, Tripathi said.
According to the Labour Act 2048, offices which have more than 50 women on their staff have to establish a child care centre. According to the Act, women should get breastfeeding time even during working hours, lawyer Sabin Shrestha said.
Posted on: 2010-04-15 07:11
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