Question

- What aspects of paid parental leave could improve gender equality? What aspects would not (i.e. might reinforce traditional gender roles, or reduce gender equality in labor markets)?

- How can we encourage men to take parental leave? -How should we fund paid parental leave? How would your suggestion impact small businesses or taxpayers?

- What are some of the ways in which healthcare or daycare costs interact with family decisions (for instance, the decision to stay home with young children)?

Answer 1

What aspects of paid parental leave could improve gender equality?

- Paid parental leave could improve gender equality by promoting and encouraging women to work. Most women would not take up a permanent job because of her family duties specially in the developing countries. So, if they are allocated with paid parental leave, it will give them an incentive to work and fulfil their goals.

What aspects would not (i.e. might reinforce traditional gender roles, or reduce gender equality in labor markets)?

- The same reason as above can also be the reason why it would not reduce gender equality in labor markets. For instance, if a women gets pregnant, it is expected of her to take a materenity leave as the caregiving duties are associated with women.It will conform to the gender ineqaulities. After the birth of the child, men could also take parental leave while the wife resumes her job. Therefore, parental leave only for the mother would create a rift in gender equality in a workplace.

How can we encourage men to take parental leave?

- We can encourage mento take parental leave by introducing a 'non-transferable' parental leave. We can also encourage the employers to pay out equal pay rate for paternal leave same as maternity leave to give an incentive to the fathers to take leave. This initiatives would bridge the gap between gender inequalities in the workplace.

How should we fund paid parental leave?

- We can fund paid parental leave by using one of the following processes-

• from social securities fund
• employer's liability to pay for the leave
• make a separate pool of funds from taxes and other donations