PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly has become the first legislature in the country for setting up a baby feeding and day care centre to facilitate the women parliamentarians.

Speaker Mushtaq Ghani on Monday inaugurated the centre. Members of Women Parliamentary Caucus, Unicef and health and planning and development departments were also present.

On the occasion, Mr Ghani appreciated the step and said now the female legislators would not have to leave their infants at home for attending assembly sessions or committees’ meetings.

He said as per the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan the women were being empowered by ensuring their presence in the legislating process.

Members Women Parliamentary Caucus Dr Sumaira Shams, Dr Asiya Asad, Madiha Nisar and others appreciated the initiative. They also called for establishing child care centres at the girls colleges and schools for female teachers and other staff.

On the occasion, a health department official said the provincial government had started work on a baby-friendly hospital project initially in four major hospitals of Peshawar, including Lady Reading Hospital, Khyber Teaching Hospital, Hayatabad Medical Complex, Mauvli Gee Hospital and one in the District Headquarters Hospital, Abbottabad. The official said women doctors and other staff could feed their infants in privacy during duty hours.

Published in Dawn, September 21st, 2021