Madina MP Francis-Xavier Sosu is advocating for the criminalisation of employers who terminate the jobs of women when they become pregnant.

According to him, pregnancy is a natural phenomenon that allows for the continuity of society; therefore, employers who lay individuals off after they have become pregnant must be brought to book.

Speaking on JoyNews’ The Pulse on February 26, he said “I think that we must rather open up that conversation, no employer has a right to terminate the appointment of another only because she is pregnant. I think that we must fish out every employer who does that."

His comments were in response to whether his move to seek amendment of the Labour (Amendment) Bill, 2023, particularly Section 57(1) of the Labour Act to extend the period of maternity leave from 12 weeks to 16 weeks (three months to four months), will cause many women to lose their jobs.

He explained that any employer who lays off a woman because she is pregnant abuses the rights of the woman and as such the woman should challenge that decision.

 “Every lady who is sacked on account of getting married or on account of getting pregnant must have the boldness to challenge those decisions. That is why we have institutions like the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice.

"Obliviously, that process of either compelling you to resign or using all kinds of ways to frustrate you so you just leave the job can amount to an inducement to quit your job and it will be an administrative injustice to those women and I think we all have our duty to protect our women in this space," he added.

The legislator added that the question posed by programme host, Elton Brobbey has introduced a new perspective to the bill. Therefore, during the stakeholder engagement on the matter, he intends to propose that individuals who terminate pregnant women from their jobs be criminalised.

"This has given me even a new idea because then we will seek as part of the amendment when we go to the stakeholders, and that is why we will be inviting all of you as part of the amendment to even criminalise the conduct of people who would try to induce women to quit their jobs because they became pregnant.

"In the first place, who got the women pregnant and is it their fault that they are pregnant and how do we sustain our society?" he asked.

• Read also: Madina MP set to present bill to extend maternity leave, introduce paternity leave

In October 2023, he initiated the Labour (Amendment) Bill, which brings to fourteen the total number of Private Member’s Bills initiated by the Madina MP.

The bill will also provide the option of an additional two weeks in the case of caesarean, stillbirth(s) or multiple births, and provide for related matters.

The Madina Legislator is also seeking an amendment to Section 20 of the Labour Act to introduce paternity leave for a minimum period of seven days and a maximum period of four weeks with an option for an additional two weeks in the case of caesarean, stillbirth(s) or multiple delivery of spouse.