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In India, only Central Government employees are entitled to 15 days of paid leave within six months of childbirth or adoption. But in the private sector, it is considered a contractual benefit rather than a right, and policies vary widely across companies.
New Delhi, Mar 30 (ANI): AAP MP Raghav Chadha speaks in Rajya Sabha during the budget session of Parliament, in New Delhi on Monday. (Sansad TV/ANI Video Grab)(Sansad TV)Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Raghav Chadha has demanded in Parliament that paternity leave should be a legal right in India.
As things stand, paternity leave exists in India in the government sector, but it is not mandated by law for the private sector. Central Government employees are entitled to 15 days of paid leave within six months of childbirth or adoption. But in the private sector, it is considered a contractual benefit rather than a right, and policies vary widely across companies.
“When a child is born, both parents are congratulated. But caregiving responsibility falls on one. The mother,” Chadha, said, raising the demand in Rajya Sabha during the ongoing Budget Session of Parliament.
“A father should not have to choose between caregiving for his newborn and keeping his job. And a mother should not have to go through childbirth & recovery without her husband’s support,” he said.
Which countries have paternity leave as legal right?
Paternity leave as a legal right exists in many countries, but the length, pay, and eligibility vary widely. Broadly, it is most established across Europe, parts of Latin America and Asia.
“In countries like Sweden, Iceland and Japan, this legal right is provided between 90 days to 52 weeks as guaranteed right. In India, 90 per cent work force is in Private sector. That means most of the fathers don’t have this right,” Chadha said.
A father should not have to choose between caregiving for his newborn and keeping his job.
Right after childbirth, the woman needs her husband’s presence the most, the AAP leader said.
“The husband’s caregiving responsibility towards his wife is equally important.I raised this issue in Parliament because caregiving is a shared responsibility. Our laws must reflect that,” he said,
About the Author
Gulam Jeelani
Gulam Jeelani is Political Desk Editor at LiveMint with over 16 years of experience covering national and international politics. Based in New Delhi, Jeelani delivers impactful political narratives through breaking stories, in-depth interviews, and analytical pieces at LiveMint since February 2024. The expertise in video production fuels his current responsibilities, which include curating content and conducting video interviews for an expanding digital audience.<br><br> Jeelani also travels during elections and key political events and has covered assembly elections in key states apart from national elections. He has previously worked with The Pioneer, Network18, India Today, News9Plus and Hindustan Times.<br><br> Jeelani’s tenure at LiveMint and previous experience at print and digital newsrooms have honed his skills in creating compelling text and video stories, explainers, and analysis that resonate with a diverse viewership.<br><br> Before moving to New Delhi in 2015, Jeelani was based in Uttar Pradesh, where he worked for five years as a reporter. In 2018, Jeelani was one of the two Indian journalists selected for the Alfred Friendly Fellowship in the US. There, he attended training workshops on reporting and data journalism, and he was attached to the Minneapolis Star Tribune in Minnesota, where he worked as a reporter.<br><br> Jeelani is a Bachelor's in Chemistry and holds a Masters Degree in journalism and mass communication from Aligarh Muslim University. Outside work, he enjoys poetry, cricket and movies.
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