Peru: Facilities for women with babies

All companies with at least 20 female employees aged 15 to 49 must now establish a special safe and contamination-free area for mothers to breast-feed their babies. This may be designated outside the workplace provided it is easily accessible. The area must be at least 10 square metres and used exclusively for the purpose, with facilities to preserve breast milk. It has to be established even if no employee is actually breast-feeding and noncompliance could result in a fine. Nevertheless, although Peru established a new labour inspectorate (SUNAFIL) in 2014 it has only 295 inspectors – 202 of which were based in the capital, Lima. Health and safety rules have been relaxed and are generally not enforced. There is high incidence of violence against women in Peru and 70% of all workers are engaged in the grey economy.

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