Posted by: Andrea Fulle on October 28th.
Link: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/paternal-leave-in-sweden/2217690.html
This article reports, albeit rather informally, the paternity leave system in Sweden is leading to changing family dynamics and the (progress toward) bridging of the gender gap.
The article, written by Mabel Chan from Channel NewsAsia, discusses the stations show “It Figures” explores these new social changes.
The current policy in Singapore, enacted in 2013, grants a total of 2 weeks of government-paid leave in the 16 weeks following the birth of a child.
Singapore is somewhere in the middle with regard to paternity leave, as some countries, namely Italy and Saudi Arabia, get only one day of leave.
Sweden is on the other end of the spectrum. It’s unique policy is already among the most generous but starting in 2016, paternity leave is further expanding. (Fathers are getting an additional month).
The policy will include 60 days set aside exclusively for dad, sixty days exclusively for the mother, and a staggering 360 days to be shared and divided however the family chooses.
Studies regarding the effects of the current policy indicate that the inclusion of fathers in care-taking and family responsibilities constitutes a “trickle-up effect”. A study by the Swedish government shows that “for every month of parental leave taken by the father, the mother’s future annual salary can increase by 7 per cent.”
Mabel argues that “narrowing the gender wage gap has helped Sweden become the fourth-most gender-equal country in the world, compared to Singapore which ranks 59th.”
Mabel claims that the “take-it-or-leave-it system” cuts the stereotype of men as breadwinners “by allowing women the opportunity to stay at their jobs if they want to”. Do you agree with this statement?
What potential problems, if any, might result from a system such as Sweden’s?
I believe that the Scandinavian countries are excelling with regard to social policies and that while we (the U.S.) are demographically different from those nations, we may still gain valuable knowledge from their successes that can be applied to address our social problems.