PROPOSALS ON PATERNITY AND PARENTAL LEAVE AT AN ADVANCED STAGE

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 Monday, September 2, 2019 - 09:28

As previously announced by Samantha Sacramento , the Ministry for Equality is looking at introducing statutory paternity and / or parental leave as one of its latest ventures in advancing equality and challenging gender stereotypes. 

The work undertaken by the Ministry for Equality on this subject is now at an advanced stage.

Currently, a woman can apply for statutory maternity leave, and if not paid by her employer during the period of absence from work, apply for a maternity allowance. The Ministry for Equality is looking at the mechanism to make this option, save for the initial statutory two weeks, to be made available to be shared with the father.

There are various stakeholder departments within the Government that currently process maternity leave. The Ministry for Equality, which is spearheading this, has set up a working groups and has had various technical meetings with these departments to understand the logistics involved explore the best way of giving this operational effect.A consultation paper is being finalised.

Minister Sacramento said “Traditionally, women disproportionately take the majority of the responsibility of childcare. This is one of the contributors to the gender pay gap, where the gap widens around the age that most women have children. Furthermore, it is important that fathers play a more active role in childcare from an early age and we wish to make the rights that are available to mothers equitable with fathers."

02-09-2019 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR