Enabling or promoting gender equality through parental leave policies

Abstract

The Nordic welfare states pioneered parental leave arrangements for fathers and not just mothers to care for their young children at home during their first year of life. The parental leave rights for fathers consist of one part that is family based and one part that is individually given to fathers. The article aims to show how these two types of leave have influenced the fathers’ experiences and appreciation of parental leave. Findings show that family based parental leave rights given to parents to share seem to enable gender equality, but as there is no pressure on fathers to use them. They are defined as mother’s rights and thus they have less positive effects than individual, non-transferrable leave. Individual parental leave rights such as the father’s quota is better able to promote gender equality in parental leave use and childcare.