SDF opposes Sikkim Govt’s decision of 1-Year Maternity Leave to female teachers

The Sikkim Government has announced maternity leave of 1 year for female teachers working under the education department and paternity leave of 1 month for male teachers. 

“The notification that was issued is in some way unsatisfactory, which leads to unfairness and injustice for the women workers who work in other government departments”, Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) on an official statement stated.

Bandana Sharma, the spokesperson of SDF urged the state government to amend the said notification and provide equality between the women employees of Sikkim and provide similar kind of facilities for the women employees working under other government departments as par to female teachers.

“The workload of women employees working under other departments is like that of women teachers and needs equal maternity leave,” claims SDF spokesperson Bandana Sharma.

“The women employees working under various government departments require similar kinds of attention, treatment, and care during pregnancy and after delivery. The notification will create insecurity to other women employees and their outcomes may not be efficient,” adds Sharma.

The notification issued not only provides inequality between women employees but also lacks similar attention and respect among other employees, as mentioned in the communiqué undersigned by Bandana Sharma. 

“The SDF government in 25 years of governance had delivered equal opportunities, the same respect, and equality to the employees working under the state government. Our government has provided equal opportunities to women as par to men in all sectors including reservation in Panchayati raj and employment,” added Sharma further.

Further highlighting the good governance undertaken by the SDF government, Bandana concludes, “The SDF government had worked with vision and policies to uplift the women of Sikkim and make them successful in their endeavors. Present SKM governments lack vision in women empowerment and fail to provide equality between the women and create inequality between them.”