Investigating the effectiveness of current maternity leave policies on women’s wellbeing, working at Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security – headquarters in Windhoek, Namibia

Abstract

Across the globe, working women seeking to expand their families must take maternity leave at some point to care for and nurture their new-borns. Working mothers take this leave within the context of a marriage or as single parents. The primary purpose of maternity leave is to ensure the safety and well-being of women and their children during this critical period, addressing the physiological and psychological demands that accompany pregnancy and postpartum recovery. Research indicates that well-compensated maternity leave can significantly reduce infant and young child mortality rates. In Namibia, the Social Security Commission (SSC) partially funds maternity leave. The study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of current maternity leave policies in accommodating the needs of working women at the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security (MHAISS): Head Quarters (HQ) and suggest policy amendments that could be implemented to alleviate the burdens experienced by working women on maternity leave. Employing a mixed-method research design, this study utilized both quantitative and qualitative data to provide comprehensive and reliable findings. The researcher employed a simple random sampling technique to select participants who met the research criteria. The findings revealed that current maternity leave policies inadequately address the needs of working mothers. Women face various challenges, including financial burdens, insufficient maternity leave duration, difficulties with breastfeeding, and unfavourable policy conditions. To avoid a potential decline in birth rates and the associated impact on household sizes, the Namibian Government must consider revising its current maternity leave policies.