Why maternity benefits important for expected mother

Written by Christian Gaya: Business Times 

Friday December 28, 2012-January 3, 2013

Statutory provision for maternity benefits today ranks third among social security branches providing cash benefits, after employment injury and retirement pensions. This is an achievement that should be seen in the context of the high importance the ILO has historically accorded to maternity protection.

The first international Convention on social security (maternity protection) was adopted at the First Session of the International Labour Conference in 1919, while the most recent one, revising earlier standards on maternity protection, was adopted in 2000. According to the Maternity Protection Convention, 2000 (No. 183), benefits include access to health services for pregnant and childbearing mothers, and their children, and cash benefits during maternity leave.

These benefits need to be seen in the broader context of maternity protection, as defined in Convention No. 183, which includes a broader set of protective measures, such as employment protection and non-discrimination, as well as provisions for breast-feeding mothers.

In view of the international commitment to reduce the mortality rates of mothers, newborns and young children, and improve maternal health, under Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4 and 5, the provisions of Convention No. 102 are of particular relevance: benefits in the event of pregnancy and childbirth and their consequences should include at least prenatal, natal and post-natal care, either by medical practitioners or by qualified midwives, and hospitalization where necessary.

The available statistical evidence shows that, despite recent improvements in some parts of the world, the provision of maternal health services is not sufficient in reaching these objectives, and considerable inequities in access between urban and rural areas persist, particularly in low-income countries.

In addition, in many parts of the world, the health effects of HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases increase the mortality risks for mothers and children. Extending and improving social health protection for women, and increasing their access to maternal health services, would contribute to achieving better results.

Income security before and after childbirth is equally important for expected mother. Statutory provisions for maternity protection exist in a majority of countries (90 per cent of high-income countries, 80 per cent of middle-income countries and over 50 per cent of low-income countries).

However, these provisions usually apply only to women employed in the formal economy and thus in many low- and middle-income countries like Tanzania only this minority enjoy benefits from maternity protection schemes even though its enrolment rate has shown to be going very slowly.

Nevertheless, a number of initiatives aim at extending the coverage of maternity benefits beyond formal wage employment. The majority of these schemes are of the social insurance type: in two-thirds of countries, and in 52 per cent as the main or only programme; in others as a complement to employer-funded or assistance schemes except Tanzania and the rest countries offer social health insurance benefits. In just over a quarter of countries, maternity benefit during maternity leave should be paid directly by employers (so-called employers’ liability) as legislated in the Labour Code or similar legal provisions. While in Tanzania maternity benefit during maternity leave is paid directly by social pension insurance scheme.

It has remained as a challenge to Social Security Regulatory Authority (SSRA) to ensure that the existing pension schemes in the country and in particular National Social Security Fund (NSSF) and Local Authority Pensions Fund (LAPF) which are currently providing maternity benefits to employed members women to make the further extension of social security coverage for maternity since would contribute towards enhancing income security and access to health care for mothers and children during a very sensitive period of their lives.

Furthermore, International experience has also shown that the collective financing of maternity cash benefits through social insurance helps remove obstacles to young women’s employment.