Husbands can now sue their wives in the United Arab Emirates if they refuse to breastfeed their children, according to a new law.
The legislation passed this month requires all able Emirati women to breastfeed their children for at least two years, UK MailOnline reported.
Declaring nursing to be mandatory, the Federal National Council included a clause in the new Child Rights Law which states that it is a human right for a child to be breast fed.
The fact that breastfeeding is now forced upon women could lead to husbands suing their wives if they do not follow the law, Mariam Al Roumi, UAE's Minister of Social Affairs, said.
"This part of the law can be a burden," Al Roumi told The National. "If the law forced women to breastfeed, this could lead to new court cases."
According to UK MailOnline, the Child Rights Law was passed by the National Federal Council earlier this month, and the breastfeeding clause added once it was put up for review.
Citing that it is a duty and not an option for any woman able to do so, the Council said it was the right of all children to be breastfed up to the age of two.
The decision was backed up by research which show that breast feeding is beneficial both for a child's future health, but also for the bond between mother and baby, while other members referred to parts of the Koran which states that a mother should nurse, UK MailOnline reported.
In cases where the mother is unable to breastfeed for a biological reason, the state should support her by providing a wet nurse. However, it has not been explained how this system is to be implemented.
Out of the Blues, a Dubai organization helping mothers suffering from postnatal issues, and several other groups supporting new parents reacted strongly to the new breastfeeding law.
"As a group we wholeheartedly agree that breastfeeding should be encouraged and that the sentiment is a good one that clearly follows international guidelines," the group wrote in an open letter in The National. "However, as many of the new mothers we encounter are already under significant pressure, we are concerned that enacting a law that leaves mothers facing potential punishment could be a step too far."
The group also pointed out that is has not been made clear who will be responsible for assessing who is and is not able to breastfeed, especially as lactation specialists can be hard to find in the UAE, UK MailOnline reported.
