Parliament Approves Bill Requiring Employers to Set Up Lactation Rooms

The National Assembly has unanimously approved the Breastfeeding Mothers Bill, 2024, requiring employers to establish private, clean, and secure lactation rooms at workplaces. These rooms must include a lockable door, a washbasin, a refrigerator, a chair, and a table, and cannot be bathrooms. Employers failing to comply may face up to one year in prison or fines up to Ksh1 million. The bill also mandates reasonable breastfeeding breaks and allows mothers to request adjustments to their work arrangements, with responses required in writing within 14 days.