‘Breast milk denial is human rights violation’

NEW DELHI: Can fashionable young women who do not breast feed be pulled up for violation of human rights of the child? Alleging that many young women influenced by television ads on bras are not breastfeeding to maintain their breasts, CPI(M) member in Lok Sabha Varkala Radhakrishnan on Wednesday said: "It (denial of breast milk) is human rights violation."

Maintaining that "breast milk is not just the only wholesome food, but also the child's right", Radhakrishnan said that "breastfeeding must be strictly enforced".

He was participating in a discussion on maternity benefit (amendment) bill, 2008, moved by labour minister Oscar Fernandes to enhance "medical bonus" for expecting women from Rs250 to Rs1,000.

"There is no substitute for mother's milk. Our young mothers should realise that by using bras immediately after delivery they are doing a disservice (to the babies)," he said, adding these days they have only two children unlike mothers earlier.

k_benedict@dnaindia.net