The labour ministry has cautioned the private sector on protecting the reproductive rights of women.

Ministry principal in charge of labour and productivity Luyati Nabiwande says women tend to lose their rights, especially when they go on maternity leave.

Article 40 (4) of the Constitution says female employees are entitled to 60 working days of fully paid maternity leave. The mandatory leave is four weeks after childbirth or miscarriage.

Luyati Nabiwande addressing the congregation during Employers luncheon on decent work harnessing the full potential of female employees. (Photo by Godiver Asege)

However, Nabiwande said women’s rights have been violated. 

She made the remarks during a luncheon with Reproductive Health Uganda (RHU) that took place at Golf Coast Hotel in Kampala.

She says this has happened in the form of termination of their working contracts or replacing them with other employees, reducing the longevity of their contracts or salaries during the time of maternity leave.

"The state of well-being is bad because many employees (women) go through hard issues and do not get sufficient help; it endangers their state of mind," she said.

The health of mothers at risk

Women returning from maternity leave are more likely to face discrimination in the workplace than they were a decade ago, according to a report published on Wednesday, November 30, 2022, by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).

The EHRC study estimates that about 54,000 new mothers are losing their jobs across the world annually, almost twice the number identified in similar research undertaken in 2005.

It also found that 10% of women were discouraged from attending antenatal appointments by their employers, putting the health of mothers and babies at risk.

Nabiwande accused some companies for organising meetings on weekends or beyond the time of work (5:00 pm) or sometimes call for emergencies that women cannot handle.

Moses Mupapa Senior Labour officer Inspectional MGLSD (L) discussing during Employers luncheon on. (Photo by Godiver Asege)

She added that the ongoing failure to promote equal treatment of workers at workplaces has resulted in many women performing poorly.

"The health of women affects the productivity of workers, the development of our economy. Once women have disabilities, there definitely won’t be enough productivity, but we are also going to spend a lot on these women," Nabiwande said.

According to Nabiwande, creating decent workplaces free from violence and harassment would play a vital role in enforcing women to actively engage in the development of the company’s programme.

She asked the leaders of the private sector to formulate regulations that prevent violence or sexual violence against women at work, noting that women are skilled at multitasking.

The Federation of Uganda Employers (FUE) welcomed the idea and said they already have a four-year programme to end violence within the employment sector in Uganda.

FUE executive director representative Fagai Mustafa said employees have been the centre of inequalities and setting strict rules would end the exploitation and create a good working environment.