Northern Bahr el Ghazal Council of Ministers is expected to deliberate on a memo suggesting the increase of existing maternity and paternity leave days provided in the South Sudan laws, according to a government source.

The state minister of health, Ring Ring Lual, presented the memo on increasing reproductive leave during the 7th ordinary cabinet meeting chaired by Governor Ober Mawut on September 13.

In South Sudan, female employees are entitled to at 90 days of fully paid maternity leave as well as 45 days for breastfeeding while working half days, to be taken immediately following childbirth.

For a man, an employee is entitled to two weeks of paternity leave on full pay, to be taken within three days after the birth of his child or immediately following miscarriage by his wife.

The state cabinet meeting also discussed the need to restrict the use of ambulances only for medical emergencies, Acting Minister of Information Bol Akuar said.

“The meeting deliberated on two memos presented by the minister of health, including a memo concerning a proposed increase of the period for maternity and paternity leave days for civil servants and a memo on the need to restrict use of ambulances for medical emergencies only,” Akuar said.

He added that cabinet passed the memo on restriction of the use of ambulances for medical emergencies only was passed while the proposed increase of maternity and paternity leave days for civil servants was adjourned for further considerations.

It was not disclosed why the state is seeking to increase paternity and maternity leave days, or how many days or weeks were proposed.

However, in August 2023, the Ministry of Health and partners suggested an increased paid maternity leave for working mothers to allow them to exclusively breastfeed their babies.

Health Minister Yolanda Awel the 3-month maternity leave period is not enough and suggested that policy makers should revise existing laws to increase the paid maternity leave to six months to allow exclusive breastfeeding.