Left Behind
Presently, working mothers who give birth to a Singaporean citizen are eligible for 16 weeks of paid leave. Working fathers are eligible for 2 weeks of paid leave and an additional 4 weeks from their wives' allotment. Perhaps surprisingly, almost half of fathers do not take any leave at all.
Researchers, including Prof Jean Yeung at NUS, have emphasized the benefits of maternity and paternity leave on child health and development as well as on marital satisfaction. For this reason, a growing number of commentators have called for an increase in total parental leave and for a reduction in the disparity in leave between mothers and fathers.
I wholeheartedly agree.
Current policy sends the message that fathers are less important in the lives of young children. Moreover, it is now understood that disruptions in employment due to childbirth are a major driver of the earnings gap between men and women in the labour market. Thus, current policy also sends the message that mothers are less important in the labour market.
These messages are rooted in traditional views of gender that do not match today's realities. In my view, parental leave should be more generous overall. Additionally, the leave available to each parent should be equal, and both parents should be required to take some amount of leave.
To require paternity leave is especially consequential. Not only would it make families more healthy and stable, it would also ameliorate the gender earnings gap. Otherwise, women will continue to shoulder the burden of childcare at home and continue to face diminished opportunities in the workplace.
