Catherine Pereira-Kotze

Nov 16, 2023 | medicalxpress.com | Julie Smith |Catherine Pereira-Kotze |Karleen Gribble

The Australian Women's Economic Equality Taskforce delivered a major report last month drawing attention to what it called the "motherhood penalty"—the 55% cut in earnings for Australian women in the first five years after having a child. The report makes many good recommendations, including extending paid parental leave to 52 weeks and providing universal high-quality affordable early childhood education. Yet it mentions "birth" only twice, and "breastfeeding" not at all.

Nov 15, 2023 | theconversation.com | Julie Smith |Catherine Pereira-Kotze |Karleen Gribble

The Australian Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce delivered a major report last month drawing attention to what it called the “motherhood penalty” – the 55% cut in earnings for Australian women in the first five years after having a child. The report makes many good recommendations, including extending paid parental leave to 52 weeks and providing universal high-quality affordable early childhood education. Yet it mentions “birth” only twice, and “breastfeeding” not at all.

Aug 9, 2023 | allianceforscience.org | Catherine Pereira-Kotze |Marcia Zali

As the world marked World Breastfeeding Week this month, South Africa was still battling to increase the number of infants exclusively breastfed for at least the first six months. Only 32 percent of South African children are exclusively breastfed for the first six months, making this one of the lowest in Africa. The continent’s average figure is 36 percent.

Feb 15, 2023 | dailymaverick.co.za | Catherine Pereira-Kotze

BEST PRACTICE OP-ED New research from the University of the Western Cape describes how domestic workers in South Africa struggle to access maternity protection, making it difficult for them to breastfeed, and this in turn has far-reaching implications in a country like South Africa with low breastfeeding rates. The researchers also make five recommendations on how to improve access to maternity protection.