In 2018, the Norwegian government’s announcement to increase fathers’ parental leave by five weeks was met with excitement from many Norwegians. However, not everyone was thrilled, including Nina Mikkelson, a mother whose child was still nursing. The increase in fathers’ share of parental leave meant less leave available to mothers. Mikkelson voiced her frustrations in a breastfeeding-support Facebook group and created a new group called “Leave Should Be Shared by Parents” dedicated to protesting the father quota. The movement gained attention and became known as “Leave Rebellion.”
Paid parental leave in Europe has a rich history, initially designed to protect the health of both mother and child. In recent decades, encouraging fathers to take leave has become a priority in many countries to promote gender equality in both the labor market and the division of household work. The hope is that increased father involvement will reduce discrimination against women in the workplace and allow mothers to focus more on their careers.
However, getting fathers to take paternity leave is not an easy feat. The issue is not necessarily a lack of desire from fathers, but rather fear of professional consequences and societal expectations that reinforce the idea of women as primary caregivers. Some countries have implemented a “father quota,” setting aside a specific amount of leave exclusively for fathers on a use-it-or-lose-it basis. Norway was the pioneer in this approach, and Sweden followed suit. Many other countries have since adopted similar policies.
There is no consensus on how much leave should be reserved for fathers. Some argue for equal and nontransferable division of leave between parents as a means to achieve true gender equality. The European Union directive requires member states to provide four months of parental leave for both mothers and fathers. However, reserving leave for fathers can limit the choice of couples in how they divide their leave, which can pose challenges, particularly for women.
The Nordic region, including Norway, Sweden, and Iceland, has been viewed as a model of gender equality. The high rates of female labor-force participation in these countries existed before the implementation of the father quota, but the quota has likely contributed to further advancements in gender equality. While the impact is not easily measurable, experts agree that the father quota is making a difference in promoting gender equality.
In Spain, the expansion of paternity leave has had some positive outcomes, with more fathers taking leave and increased involvement in child care. However, it has not had a significant impact on women’s employment. Mothers are still more likely to take unpaid leave or work part-time after their paid leave ends. Additionally, there have been unintended consequences, such as couples having fewer children and higher divorce rates.
Expanding the father quota does not necessarily benefit mothers, as not all men take the leave reserved for them. In some cases, mothers prefer to take the time themselves due to recovery from childbirth or breastfeeding. There are also concerns about the allocation of resources, with some advocating for longer paid leave for mothers to facilitate exclusive breastfeeding.
In Norway, where mothers have up to seven months of fully paid leave, some women in the Leave Rebellion movement argue that this leaves too little time for the transition from breastfeeding to other forms of feeding.
Overall, the issue of parental leave and gender equality is complex, with various factors to consider. While the father quota has shown some positive effects, there are trade-offs and challenges that need to be addressed to ensure fairness and support for all parents.
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