SC direction State and Union Governments to provide public breastfeeding facilities. Photo: File Pic SC direction State and Union Governments to provide public breastfeeding facilities. Photo: File Pic

Supreme Court has directed State and Union Government to prop up facilities to support breastfeeding women and infants, iterating that both the mother and the child have fundamental rights that need to be taken into consideration.

The Supreme Court based the direction on 2024 advisory by the Centre, and a bench led by Justice BV Nagarantha. Nagarantha had emphasised for public infrastructure, which includes private rooms and buildings to support nursing mothers.

“Breast-feeding is an integral component of a child’s right to life, survival, and development to the highest attainable standard of health. It is an integral part of a woman’s reproductive process and is essential for the health and well-being of both mother and the child,” the bench had noted.

The court, in light of this, had stated: “The health of infants cannot be viewed in isolation but must be linked with the status of women and their roles as mothers and contributors to social and economic development.”

The bench argued that the right of a child to be breastfed is inextricably linked with the mother’s right to breastfeed.

The court took a decisive stance against the stigma surrounding public breastfeeding, and pointed out that women should not face stress, pressure, or intimidation for this bodily purpose.

In accordance to a United Nations statement, the judgment additionally noted that public breastfeeding must be supported, and protected, as it helps save over 820,betef000 lives annually worldwide.

The court also issued an advisory to citizens about their fundamental duty under Article 51A(e) of the Constitution, which calls for renouncing practices derogatory to women’s dignity. It stated: “Citizens must ensure that breastfeeding in public places and workplaces is not stigmatized.”

Noting that the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) issued an advisory on February 27, 2024, the court directed the Centre to implement these guidelines with all state and UT governments.

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Among the measures included are setting up gender-friendly spaces, including feeding rooms and child care facilities in all public buildings; installation of sanitary pad vending machines and incinerators in workplaces, bus stations, schools, colleges, universitiesbet10, and places of worship; mandatory crèche facilities in every public building with 50 or more female employees and encouraging private sector compliance to facilitate working mothers.