The Minister of Labor, Solidarity and Social Security, Rosário Palma Ramalho, clarified today in Parliament her stance on the breastfeeding controversy, asserting she defended women’s rights.
“I did not attack women with the breastfeeding measures. On the contrary, I defended women, as I have done for many years,” she stated during a session in the Assembly of the Republic, responding to a question from the Livre party’s Isabel Mendes Lopes.
“At no point did the Government say it would reduce breastfeeding rights. What has been under discussion is calibrating a two-hour daily work break under the breastfeeding statute,” she concluded.
Back in August, the Minister faced criticism following comments on alleged abuses of breastfeeding rights. Her statements triggered controversy and criticism from pediatricians and women’s advocacy groups.
The Minister’s remarks on alleged abuses in breastfeeding rights continue to stir controversy. Women’s advocacy associations criticize the “misinformation” spread by the official.
Beatriz Vasconcelos | 08:55 – 04/08/2025
In interviews with Jornal de Notícias (JN) and TSF at the time, the Minister mentioned being aware of cases where “children appear to continue breastfeeding to grant their mothers a reduced working schedule of two hours per day, paid by the employer, until they reach primary school.”
These statements led the President of the Medical Association to argue, regarding the proposed changes to breastfeeding exemption that the Government intended to implement, that mothers and their children should not be punished for the “supposed non-compliance” of a minority.
Initially, the Government’s proposal regarding breastfeeding aimed to set a two-year limit on work exemptions for breastfeeding, whereas the currently effective law allows this period to extend “as long as breastfeeding continues,” without a maximum time limit.
The proposal later evolved: “The Government has progressed” and will “present to partners” a proposal concerning family and parenting issues, stated the Secretary-General of the General Union of Workers (UGT), Mário Mourão, following a social consultation meeting in Lisbon.
Furthermore, the president of the Business Confederation of Portugal (CIP), Armindo Monteiro, noted the Government’s intention to modify breastfeeding measures, indicating that the “two-year period was not in question” but rather “the need for a medical certificate.”
Ultimately, the most controversial elements of the Executive’s proposal for labor law revision, such as those targeting breastfeeding leave and gestational mourning, are set to be reviewed by the Government.
Beatriz Vasconcelos with Lusa | 08:20 – 11/09/2025
