Muscat: The Ministry of Labour today hosted a workshop titled ‘Impact of Maternity Leave Legislation and Regulations on the Labour Market and Prospects for Development in the GCC States’. The event was held in cooperation with the Executive Office of the GCC Council of Labour Ministers.
According to Oman News Agency, the workshop was the result of a decision made during the 10th meeting of the GCC Labour Ministers. The ministers tasked the Executive Office of the GCC Labour Ministers with organizing a specialized workshop on maternity leave, in collaboration with the GCC Secretariat General. The main objectives were to share experiences across GCC states regarding the implementation of maternity leave, develop flexible work policies to support female workers, and provide recommendations for enhancing labour regulations related to women’s rights.
The workshop covered four main topics: the impact of maternity leave on the turnover of female versus male labour, factors contributing to job instability, employers’ hesitation to hire women due to maternity leave obligations and its effects on competition and labour markets, and the measurement and compensation of ‘lost work’ in businesses. It also focused on aligning compensation disbursements and bridging gaps in women’s privileges across public and private sectors.
Discussions included proposals for improving the working environment for female employees, with presentations from the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Doha International Family Institute. Furthermore, the GCC Council of Labour Ministers’ Executive Office prepared a report on maternity leave in GCC countries, comparing regional legislation with international agreements, particularly Convention No. 183 on Maternity Protection.