The birth of a baby is a life-changing experience and the time spent with the baby in the early days of birth is very important to get through and understand this new relationship. Here comes importance of Paternity Leave.
Introduction
According to medical experts, a woman needs a lot of attention and support during childbirth. Although earlier this support was provided by loved ones and close relatives, due to the changing world and changes in the family system, the role of father has become more important than ever. lets discuss role and benefits of paternity leave in our family system.
Paternity Leave Around the World
Around the world, fathers are given leave from work for the first few days after the birth of a child, but the duration of this leave and the laws related to it vary from country to country.
In Japan and South Korea, men are granted 52 and 53 weeks of paternity leave, respectively. However, in countries like Canada, the United States, the Czech Republic, Israel, New Zealand, and Ireland, there is no legal requirement for paternity leave.
In the neighboring countries of Iran and India, fathers are given 15 and 14 days of leave respectively after the birth of a child.
Paternity Leave in Pakistan
In Pakistan, it is generally believed that all the needs and related issues of a newborn child after birth are the responsibility of the mother, while the father’s job is only to earn a living.
However, a positive development has been seen in this direction in recent days. The federal government has recently approved ten days leave for fathers on birth of a child.
Rabia Javed Agha, Secretary of the Ministry of Human Rights, said through a tweet that the federal cabinet has approved the service rules of the National Commission on Status of Women. She added that 10 days leave for fathers is sanctioned. Oviously, this is the first time that leaves are approved in Pakistan for male employees of the federal government after the birth of a child.
He also said that to extend its scope to the entire country, we are working on it.
Some private companies in Pakistan allow maternity leave to their male employees.
Moreover, the Punjab government also amended the 1981 rules in the year 2012 to give seven days leave to male employees across Punjab after the birth of the first two children.
An official of the federal government told BBC that although earlier ‘paternity leave’ was not available to federal employees. However, even before that they continued to take this leave by attaching the notification of the Punjab government along with their application. In such cases, the grant of leave depended on the officer concerned.
For now, if federal employees other than the National Commission on Status of Women want ‘paternity leave’, they can apply for leave using the notification of the concerned body.
Likewise, female employees of the federal government are allowed 90 days leave after the birth of the first three children.
5 Benefits of Paid Parental Leave:
1.Bonding with the Baby:
Paternity leave affords new fathers the opportunity to invest quality time with their newborn and foster a powerful relationship. This shared experience can enable them to gain a deeper understanding of the baby’s needs and provide support to the mother in caring for the child.
2.Improved Mental Health:
Paternity leave can also have positive effects on the mental health of fathers. Spending time with the baby and being able to be present for important milestones can help reduce stress and anxiety.
3.Better Work-Life Balance:
Paternity leave can assist fathers in achieving a harmonious balance between their professional and familial duties. This balance can lead to reduced stress and a more satisfying work-life balance.
4.Increased Involvement in Childcare:
Paternity leave can help fathers to become more involved in the daily care of the child. This can result in a more equal distribution of caregiving responsibilities and improve relationships within the family.
5.The Family Benefits:
Paternity leave offers an advantageous influence on the entire family unit. Furthermore, increased fatherly involvement in child care fosters stronger bonds, improved communication, and a supportive family atmosphere.
Why is paternity leave important for men?
According to Dr. Salma Kafeel Qureshi, she said, “When a woman goes for delivery, she needs a lot of help afterwards.” In olden times, families used to stay together and women got family support which is not available to everyone nowadays. Essentially, the husband should be with her in the first eight to ten difficult days to take care of the wife and child. Moreover, helping with other domestic problems and needs is the moral duty of the father.
What will be the benefit of this to a Pakistani woman?
According to Dr. Salma Qureshi, on the occasion of childbirth, a woman goes through a difficult phase physically and mentally. Moreover, she is not in a balanced state to take better care of herself as well as a newborn child. The presence of the husband is very encouraging and compassionate for the woman. It also helps the father to bond with the child.
Addressing the boys, while taking to BBC, Ayesha Sarwari says, ‘ Don’t spend 10 days of paternity leave watching cricket matches and telling your wife to move the baby to another room so you can sleep through the night without making a sound.’
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