This was just sent to me by another member of the BCC, Maureen Fjeld Co-chair, Breastfeeding Committee for Canada (BCC) For Information François Larsen Manager, Communications (416) 314-4532 October 4, 1999 For Immediate Publication Revised OHRC Policy on Pregnancy now includes the right to breastfeed in public "Women's and children's health are human rights issues," said Chief Commissioner Keith Norton. "Women have the right to participate in and contribute fully to society while fulfilling the responsibilities of motherhood." As part of its commitment to develop a clear policy regarding the right of women to breastfeed in public, the Commission today released an updated version of its Policy on Pregnancy. The policy affirms the right of women not to be denied services when breastfeeding. International organizations such as UNICEF and the World Health Organization have repeatedly commented on the health and social benefits of breastfeeding. Also released today is a new plain language guide entitled Pregnancy: Before, During and After: Know Your Rights. These publications provide practical guidance on women's rights on pregnancy-related issues particularly in the areas of employment, housing and access to services. They not only outline the particular needs and barriers faced by women who are or will be mothers, but also show employers, service providers, and landlords how they can develop practices and policies on pregnancy-related issues that are fair, supportive and safe. In Ontario, it is illegal to discriminate because a woman is or may become pregnant. Refusing or denying a service to a woman who is pregnant or who breastfeeds violates the Human Rights Code because it discriminates on the grounds of sex and family status (being in a parent-child relationship). Employers are also required to accommodate women in the workplace who have special needs because of pregnancy. Both publications are designed to help eliminate discriminatory practices against mothers and mothers-to-be and support the Commission's mandate to increase awareness of human rights and protections under the Code. For copies of these documents, please call: 1-800-387-9080 (toll-free) (416) 326-9511 (in Toronto) (416) 314-6526 (TTY) *********************************************** The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html