Maternity protection is a human right given to working mothers. However, a significant numberrnof mothers die from childbirth and their deaths could have been prevented by adequate socialrnprotection policies.rnThe implementation of the maternity leave rights are also quite contentious across the globe andrnvary greatly. Ethiopia is among the developing countries and is struggling to attract foreignrninvestment and change its sector from agriculture to industrial led development. In this processrnthe country is building several industrial zones. Women are thus employed in numbers in thisrnsector.rnResearch in the past indicate that the protection of basic rights of workers are violated in privaternsectors. This research thus explores the gap in the protection of maternity leave rights ofrnworking women in the private manufacturing sector.