Phnom Penh: Union leaders as well as civil society organizations in Cambodia have expressed their full support for the stakeholder study on increasing the maternity leave period from 3 to 6 months.

The statement came after authorities wanted to increase maternity leave to six months to increase breastfeeding and reduce other risks to mothers and babies.

Pav Sina, President of the Collective Union of Movement of Workers, said this was one of the things workers wanted the most, with civil society organizations, especially himself, urging the government to ratify the 183 Convention on maternity leave.

"On my own behalf, on behalf of the unions and the workers' representatives, I fully support the stakeholders who have taken the issue of maternity leave from 3 to 6 months as the best one. The best I support!." Pav Sina said.

He added that the 3 month long maternity leave of workers is not enough. He said that this is not only for the private sector, but also the public sector, if it can be done, it is one of the best things for workers, both inside and outside the system, as well as civil servants.

"If we can come to an agreement and implement it as soon as possible, it will be a good thing because if we look at the garment, footwear and bag sector, we see that almost 80 percent of the workers are women, in the past we did. There is very little time to breastfeed."

At the same time, Yam ThaiSan, President of the Labor Rights Protection Association, said that increasing the six-month maternity leave will be possible.

"As a labor rights organization, we support this important initiative to promote maternal and child well-being," he said.

He said that in fact, the labor law allows women to take 90 days off and return to work, which is a short period for infants who have the opportunity to receive breast milk.

He added that although the law required employers to provide breastfeeding facilities and breastfeeding breaks in the workplace, it was observed that women workers could not. It is possible and what is impossible is due to safety factors when traveling and many other issues.