Resources on maternity protection

  1. Far-reaching reforms in Oman set new benchmark for social protection in the region

    20 July 2023

    An overview of the key features of the ambitious reforms which fundamentally reshape the social protection landscape in Oman.

  2. © lisegagne 2024
    International labour standards as human rights

    17 November 2022

    Tim de Meyer, Senior Advisor in the ILO’s International Labour Standards Department (NORMES), explains how rights and standards in the world of work are linked to human rights and why they are essential for establishing social justice and decent work for all.

  3. © Unplash 2024
    Over 2 million moms left the labour force in 2020 according to new global estimates

    08 March 2022

    New global data covering 189 countries and territories expose the motherhood penalty faced by millions of women around the world in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

  4. Improving breastfeeding facilities benefits workers, their babies and business

    01 August 2019

    A worker-management committee has helped improve facilities for new mothers in one of Indonesia’s leading garment factories, while boosting productivity.

  5. © Better Work 2024
    Protecting pregnant workers’ rights in Lesotho

    17 September 2015

    How the Better Work Programme of the ILO and the International Finance Cooperation (IFC) promotes decent work for young women in Lesotho’s garment industry.

  6. © S.Jensen /GAVI ALLIANCE /AFP 2024
    Maternity leave: Women's survival vs. family responsibilities in Rwanda

    22 October 2014

    Most women make a choice between their own survival and family responsibilities. This is where the ILO Convention on maternity protection comes in.

  7. © Richard Lewisohn/Image Source 2024
    Maternity protection: Good for workers, good for small businesses

    20 October 2014

    Maternity protection and work-family measures can generate positive outcomes for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), says ILO Specialist Laura Addati.

  8. Women at work – where we are, where we want to be

    08 March 2014

    To mark International Women’s Day, the ILO reflects on the progress that has been made and what still needs to be done to achieve gender equality in the workplace. Follow two women, an Indian CEO and a US school teacher, whose experiences shed an interesting light on the common challenges facing women across the globe.

  9. © A. Ross/Brand X/Jupiterimages 2024
    Breastfeeding in the workplace: Good for the mother, child, business and society

    05 August 2013

    On the occasion of World Breastfeeding Week (August 1-7), the ILO maternity protection specialist, Laura Addati, explains why breastfeeding in the workplace makes good sense for all parties concerned.

  10. Maternity protection: Not just a personal issue

    23 November 2012

    Many countries have ratified ILO conventions on maternity protection, but pregnant women still face workplace discrimination. Marking the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (November 25), the ILO publishes guidelines on how to implement maternity protection policies.