By Olimatou Coker
The United Nations Office in The Gambia on Friday opened a dedicated creche at the UN House in Cape Point, Bakau to support staff and promote exclusive breastfeeding.
The creche provides a secure space where staff can leave young children during working hours and where breastfeeding mothers can continue to feed and care for their babies while at work. It addresses a common challenge facing working parents: returning to work need not mean giving up breastfeeding.
The inauguration coincided with the close of World Breastfeeding Week (1–7 August), observed this year under the theme “Breastfeeding for a Sustainable Start in Life: Strengthen What Works.” The theme highlights that breastfeeding succeeds when systems in health facilities, communities, workplaces and through labour policies support mothers.
The Gambia’s Women’s Act (2010) entitles employed women to six months’ paid maternity leave and daily nursing breaks. UN officials said facilities such as this creche are the practical measures that make those entitlements real, and they urged public and private employers to follow the UN’s example.
Karl Frederick Paul, UN Resident Coordinator in The Gambia, described the creche as more than a room. “This is a practical translation of our United Nations values and our duty of care to personnel and their families. It recognises the realities parents face balancing demanding professional responsibilities with early childhood care.”
Paul said the timing—on the final day of World Breastfeeding Week—reinforces the UN’s commitment to workplaces that support breastfeeding, early childhood development, and staff wellbeing.
Unicef Representative Nafisa Binte Shafique said Unicef champions exclusive breastfeeding for six months and continued breastfeeding up to two years. She explained that the creche was proposed within the UN Country Team (UNCT) to “walk the talk” and ensure breastfeeding colleagues do not have to choose between work and exclusive breastfeeding.
“This is the first creche in the UN House here,” Shafique said. She noted the project began a year ago and follows UN support for creches at Kanifing and Bansang General Hospitals. The new facility will be funded jointly by UN agencies and the UN staff association.
Bakary Dampha, head of the creche, called the launch “a significant milestone toward a more inclusive, family-friendly workplace.” He added the creche will offer a safe, nurturing, and stimulating environment where children can learn and parents can work with greater peace of mind. Dampha emphasised the facility’s role in creating a breastfeeding-friendly workplace that supports child nutrition, growth and maternal wellbeing.
Yai-Fatou Gaye, the creche’s operational manager, reassured mothers about care standards and said the centre will follow Montessori principles. “We respect each child, support their development, and help them reach their full potential,” she said.
Joy Michael, Programme Specialist (Gender) at UNFPA, speaking for beneficiary mothers, thanked UN-Gambia for the initiative and pledged staff commitment to make full use of the creche.