WORLD Policy Analysis Center

Are at least 12 weeks of paid leave available for both parents of infants?

This variable assesses whether at least 12 weeks of paid leave is available under normal conditions for the birth of a child, excluding additional leave available under extraordinary circumstances.

No, neither parent means that there is no paid leave or less than 12 weeks of paid leave available to parents for the birth of an infant.

Mothers only means that while mothers can take at least 12 weeks or paid leave, no paid leave or less than 12 weeks of paid is available to fathers of infants or birth mothers’ spouse or partner.

Mother-specific entitlement, but can be transferred to father means that there is at least 12 weeks of paid leave available for either parent to take, but fathers, spouses, and/or partners can only take at least 12 weeks of paid leave if mothers transfer some or all of their leave to them. In one country (Australia), transferring leave to enable the father to take 12 weeks of leave would leave the mother with less than 12 weeks of paid leave. In all other countries, both parents could take at least 12 weeks.

Both parents means that there is at least 12 weeks of paid leave available for both parents to take, whether it is paid leave specifically reserved for mothers and fathers, partners, and/or spouses; shared parental leave that can be used by either parent; or a combination of these types of leave.

When it is available, paid leave reserved for fathers, spouses, and/or partners is often significantly shorter in duration than leave reserved for mothers. However, some countries offer bonuses in the form of parental leave length extensions or additional payments if both parents take at least a specified amount of leave, to encourage fathers, spouses, and/or partners to take advantage of the available leave.

Countries

Bahrain - No, neither parent

Bhutan - No, neither parent

Cabo Verde - No, neither parent

Eritrea - No, neither parent

Guinea-Bissau - No, neither parent

Jamaica - No, neither parent

Jordan - No, neither parent

Kuwait - No, neither parent

Lebanon - No, neither parent

Lesotho - No, neither parent

Malawi - No, neither parent

Malaysia - No, neither parent

Maldives - No, neither parent

Marshall Islands - No, neither parent

Micronesia, Federated States of - No, neither parent

Mozambique - No, neither parent

Nauru - No, neither parent

Nepal - No, neither parent

Oman - No, neither parent

Palau - No, neither parent

Papua New Guinea - No, neither parent

Qatar - No, neither parent

Samoa - No, neither parent

Saudi Arabia - No, neither parent

Sudan - No, neither parent

Eswatini - No, neither parent

Tonga - No, neither parent

Tunisia - No, neither parent

Uganda - No, neither parent

United Arab Emirates - No, neither parent

United States of America - No, neither parent

Yemen - No, neither parent

Afghanistan - Mothers only

Algeria - Mothers only

Angola - Mothers only

Antigua and Barbuda - Mothers only

Argentina - Mothers only

Bahamas - Mothers only

Bangladesh - Mothers only

Barbados - Mothers only

Belize - Mothers only

Benin - Mothers only

Bolivia - Mothers only

Bosnia and Herzegovina - Mothers only

Botswana - Mothers only

Brazil - Mothers only

Brunei - Mothers only

Burkina Faso - Mothers only

Burundi - Mothers only

Cambodia - Mothers only

Cameroon - Mothers only

Central African Republic - Mothers only

Chad - Mothers only

Chile - Mothers only

China - Mothers only

Colombia - Mothers only

Comoros - Mothers only

Democratic Republic of the Congo - Mothers only

Republic of the Congo - Mothers only

Costa Rica - Mothers only

Cote d'Ivoire - Mothers only

Cyprus - Mothers only

Djibouti - Mothers only

Dominica - Mothers only

Dominican Republic - Mothers only

Ecuador - Mothers only

Egypt - Mothers only

El Salvador - Mothers only

Equatorial Guinea - Mothers only

Ethiopia - Mothers only

Fiji - Mothers only

Gabon - Mothers only

The Gambia - Mothers only

Ghana - Mothers only

Greece - Mothers only

Grenada - Mothers only

Guatemala - Mothers only

Guinea - Mothers only

Guyana - Mothers only

Haiti - Mothers only

Honduras - Mothers only

India - Mothers only

Indonesia - Mothers only

Iran - Mothers only

Iraq - Mothers only

Ireland - Mothers only

Israel - Mothers only

Kazakhstan - Mothers only

Kenya - Mothers only

Kiribati - Mothers only

Democratic People's Republic of Korea - Mothers only

Kyrgyzstan - Mothers only

Laos - Mothers only

Liberia - Mothers only

Libya - Mothers only

Liechtenstein - Mothers only

North Macedonia - Mothers only

Madagascar - Mothers only

Mali - Mothers only

Malta - Mothers only

Mauritania - Mothers only

Mauritius - Mothers only

Mexico - Mothers only

Monaco - Mothers only

Mongolia - Mothers only

Morocco - Mothers only

Myanmar - Mothers only

Namibia - Mothers only

The Netherlands - Mothers only

Nicaragua - Mothers only

Niger - Mothers only

Nigeria - Mothers only

Pakistan - Mothers only

Panama - Mothers only

Paraguay - Mothers only

Peru - Mothers only

The Philippines - Mothers only

Rwanda - Mothers only

Sao Tome and Principe - Mothers only

Senegal - Mothers only

Seychelles - Mothers only

Sierra Leone - Mothers only

Singapore - Mothers only

Solomon Islands - Mothers only

Somalia - Mothers only

South Africa - Mothers only

South Sudan - Mothers only

Sri Lanka - Mothers only

St. Kitts and Nevis - Mothers only

St. Lucia - Mothers only

St. Vincent and the Grenadines - Mothers only

Suriname - Mothers only

Switzerland - Mothers only

Syria - Mothers only

Tajikistan - Mothers only

Tanzania - Mothers only

Thailand - Mothers only

Timor-Leste - Mothers only

Togo - Mothers only

Trinidad and Tobago - Mothers only

Türkiye - Mothers only

Tuvalu - Mothers only

Uruguay - Mothers only

Vanuatu - Mothers only

Venezuela - Mothers only

Vietnam - Mothers only

Zambia - Mothers only

Zimbabwe - Mothers only

Albania - At least a portion is mother-specific entitlement, but can be transferred to father

Andorra - At least a portion is mother-specific entitlement, but can be transferred to father

Australia - At least a portion is mother-specific entitlement, but can be transferred to father

Georgia - At least a portion is mother-specific entitlement, but can be transferred to father

New Zealand - At least a portion is mother-specific entitlement, but can be transferred to father

United Kingdom - At least a portion is mother-specific entitlement, but can be transferred to father

Armenia - Entitlement for both parents

Austria - Entitlement for both parents

Azerbaijan - Entitlement for both parents

Belarus - Entitlement for both parents

Belgium - Entitlement for both parents

Bulgaria - Entitlement for both parents

Canada - Entitlement for both parents

Croatia - Entitlement for both parents

Cuba - Entitlement for both parents

Czech Republic - Entitlement for both parents

Denmark - Entitlement for both parents

Estonia - Entitlement for both parents

Finland - Entitlement for both parents

France - Entitlement for both parents

Germany - Entitlement for both parents

Greenland - Entitlement for both parents

Hungary - Entitlement for both parents

Iceland - Entitlement for both parents

Italy - Entitlement for both parents

Japan - Entitlement for both parents

Republic of Korea - Entitlement for both parents

Latvia - Entitlement for both parents

Lithuania - Entitlement for both parents

Luxembourg - Entitlement for both parents

Moldova - Entitlement for both parents

Montenegro - Entitlement for both parents

Norway - Entitlement for both parents

Poland - Entitlement for both parents

Portugal - Entitlement for both parents

Romania - Entitlement for both parents

Russian Federation - Entitlement for both parents

San Marino - Entitlement for both parents

Serbia - Entitlement for both parents

Slovakia - Entitlement for both parents

Slovenia - Entitlement for both parents

Spain - Entitlement for both parents

Sweden - Entitlement for both parents

Turkmenistan - Entitlement for both parents

Ukraine - Entitlement for both parents

Uzbekistan - Entitlement for both parents