The Supreme Court on Wednesday underscored the need for dedicated childcare and breastfeeding rooms in government buildings. A bench comprising Justice B.V. Nagarathna and Justice Prasanna B. Varale directed state governments to ensure the availability of such facilities to safeguard mothers’ privacy.
The court stated that wherever feasible, existing public spaces should incorporate these amenities. For buildings under planning or construction, states must allocate sufficient space for childcare and feeding rooms.
The directive came in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Maatr Sparsh, an initiative of the Avyaan Foundation, advocating for separate private spaces for mothers. The Centre’s counsel informed the court that on February 27, 2024, the Ministry of Women and Child Development had already issued an advisory to all states and union territories (UTs) on this issue.
The bench noted that implementing this advisory would significantly enhance the privacy and dignity of nursing mothers. The court affirmed that the directive aligns with the fundamental rights enshrined in Articles 14 and 15(3) of the Constitution.
The court further directed the Centre to incorporate the advisory in the form of a reminder communication to the chief secretaries and administrators of the states and UTs along with a copy of its order.
