Paternity leave is still underestimated (and very important)

When we talk about "men's rights," especially when used as a pretext to undermine women's rights, a few things always come up. There's the issue of men's mental health, ignored and neglected for years, the matter of child custody in cases of divorce, and then there's paternity leave. While the first two can be addressed by discussing how the patriarchy, by trapping women in the role of mothers, has - as a contrary reaction - forced men out of the home, working to survive, creating an unrealistic yet dominant opposition between women, emotional and weak, and men, tough, repressed, and strong, with deep and very serious consequences - we want to dive a bit deeper into the third issue, which is also closely related.

Maternity leave in Italy

According to Ddl 1334 of the 2019 Budget Law, employed working mothers in Italy are currently entitled to a period of mandatory leave during pregnancy and post-pregnancy for a total of 5 months. They can choose whether to take 2 months before the expected due date and 3 months after or split the 5 months differently. The important thing is that doctors (both specialists and occupational health professionals) approve this choice, ensuring it is not deemed risky for the health of the mother and baby. Although this leave is mandatory, it is not always granted, and unfortunately, there are many cases of women being fired for being pregnant or facing targeted questions during interviews.

Paternity leave in Italy

And what about fathers? They are entitled to a mandatory leave of 10 days, which can be taken between 2 months before and 5 months after childbirth. This increases to 20 days for multiple births. The entitlement also applies in cases of adoption or foster care. There is also an additional optional day. Furthermore, a third type of leave exists: parental leave, which is optional but mostly used by mothers. Why can’t fathers have the same amount of leave as mothers? Perhaps due to cultural legacy, but also because - in most cases - women earn less. The consequences are clear: the mother remains confined to the domestic sphere, obligated to be the primary caretaker, while the father is sent back to work after just 10 days. This creates a domino effect, leading in the long run to low birth rates, low female employment, and thus gender inequality. 

The positive effects of extending paternity leave

Tortuga, a think-tank of young researchers and students in economics and social sciences, presented a report to the Chamber of Deputies advocating for the extension of corporate paternity leave. According to this report, involving 24 companies, many employees do not take leave due to work pressures, fear of negative impact on their careers, or simply because their colleagues have not used it. In reality, taking paternity leave would positively impact the division of domestic labor, the father-child relationship, and the prospect of having more children. Making this leave mandatory (and 100% paid) is desirable, as it would turn it from a privilege for a few into a normal condition. 

And for non-salaried workers?

When we step away from salaried work, things become even more complicated, and the solutions rely less on individual companies and more on government intervention. Unfortunately, we keep hitting the same stumbling block. Individual solutions to societal problems - like this one, concerning inequality between men and women in the workplace and in parenthood - will always be partial. How do we address, for example, same-sex couples? Single parents? People who are not salaried workers or are forced to accept off-the-books contracts? Tortuga's report is a good starting point, but the reality in Italy is something else, and it is complex and multifaceted.