In Bangladesh, maternal and child health remains a major challenge. According to the World Health Organization, Bangladesh has one of the highest rates of maternal and child mortality in South Asia. However, businesses are increasingly recognizing the role they can play in promoting responsible business approaches for achieving health outcomes, particularly in maternal and child health. Promoting responsible business approaches is not only socially responsible but also commercially sensible. Workplace intervention such as maternity protection (maternity leave, flexibility to breastfeeding etc.) enables women to continue their productive work without compromising their reproductive and childcare needs. It also helps employers achieve better business outcomes, including lower absenteeism and turnover and higher productivity.
Differentiated approach: Workplaces can provide a tailored or customized approach that takes into consideration the diverse needs, of their women workers, an approach that may be difficult to execute at a community level. These have been articulated as flexibility in working hours that allows nursing mothers to breastfeed their children while at work. Encouragingly about 70-80% of the export focused factories are already providing healthcare to their women workers. A differentiated approach can help to address health inequalities and promote health equity by ensuring that everyone has equal access to health services and resources that are appropriate and responsive to their needs. It can also lead to more effective and efficient interventions, as resources can be targeted to where they are most needed, and outcomes can be measured more accurately.
Point of service delivery: Often women face barriers to accessing healthcare due to time constraints, lack of transportation, and cultural norms. Bringing healthcare services at or near the workplace, women can receive care without having to take time off from work or travel long distances. However, there are trade-offs related to confidentiality and anonymity. Workers may be hesitant to seek healthcare services or disclose personal health information if they feel that their privacy is not being respected or protected. Such issues need to be considered and employers should be supported to develop mechanisms that ensure healthcare services are provided in a private and confidential setting.
Partnerships: To scale these interventions across the sector that employ women requires a multi-stakeholder approach bringing government, industry associations, buyers, business owners, trade unions, development agencies and women workers together to develop models that addresses the needs of the women workers while support businesses to adopt, adhere and sustain these initiatives. Business owners often go through various compliance audits required by the government and different buyers. There is a clear opportunity to standardize audits by buyers. Government, industry associations and development agencies like UNICEF and ILO can engage with buyers and support policy advocacy.
By taking a comprehensive and collaborative approach, businesses can play a critical role in promoting the health and well-being of their employees, customers, and communities. Initiatives such as Mothers@Work and Better Work Bangladesh demonstrate the potential for businesses to make a positive impact on maternal and child health in the country.
