Balochistan Assembly establishes first Baby-Feed Center
News Desk :
QUETTA: Balochistan Assembly has established the first baby-feed center and nursing room in the country. Dr. Rubaba Khan Buledi, the Parliamentary Secretary for Health said very soon the baby-feed center would be inaugurated.
Balochistan MPA Mahjabeen Sheeran was asked to leave the assembly for bringing her child in May 2019. The female legislator from the ruling Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) then initiated a campaign to push for daycare centers in assemblies and government departments to make them more inclusive for women.
“Such baby-feed centers would be set up in government departments in Balochistan”, Dr. Rubaba Khan Buledi stated.
Mahjabeen Sheran’s video caused outrage in the social media
There was an outrage on social media after Mahjabeen Sheran’s video went viral on Twitter and Facebook being directed by the chair to leave the house along with her child. Members of civil society, women, and human rights activists lashed out at the speaker for directing Mahjabeen Sheran to leave the house.
“This was a dream to get this baby-feed center established inside the Balochistan Assembly”, Mahjabeen Sheran said. Women’s rights activists have welcomed the decision of the Balochistan Assembly to the establishment of the baby-feed center.
“Setting up spaces for working mothers to take care of infants and small children is commendable”, Ayesha Wadood, the Chief of UN Women Sub-Office Balochistan told the daily Quetta Voice.
Work to be started soon on proposed baby-feed centers in Balochistan
Dr. Buledi mentioned that work would be started on all proposed centers and nurses’ rooms to facilitate women across the province. This step has been hailed by political parties, members of civil society, and women and human rights activists in the province.
Mahjabeen feels she was victimized for being a woman because male members of the assembly often get away with violating the regulations. “I have seen several members of the assembly using mobile phones while attending the sessions despite the practice being banned, but no one has ever asked a male member to leave the assembly for violating rules”, she said.
Dr. Rubaba Khan Buledi however said that the present government under the chairmanship of chief minister Jam Kamal was determined to address issues faced by women in the province. The Balochistan cabinet had already adopted Gender Equality Women Empowerment Policy 2020.
