WORLD Policy Analysis Center

Is paid leave available for both parents of infants?

This map tells us whether both mothers and fathers of infants are entitled to paid leave to support equal involvement in caregiving during infancy.

Map reflects a systematic review of laws in place as of March 2019.

No, neither parent means that there is no paid leave available for parents of infants.

Mothers only means that only paid leave specifically designated for mothers of infants is available and there is no gender-neutral leave or paternity leave available.

Mother-specific entitlement, but can be transferred to father means that there is leave available for either parent to take, but fathers can only take leave if mothers transfer some or all of their leave to them.

Both parents means that there is leave available for either parent to take, whether it is through maternity or paternity leave specifically for mothers and fathers, gender-neutral parental leave that can be used by either parent (including transferable maternity leave), or a combination of these types of leave.

When it is available, paternity leave is often significantly shorter in duration than leave for mothers. However, some countries offer bonuses in the form of parental leave length extensions or additional payments if a portion of the leave is used by both mothers and fathers to encourage fathers to take advantage of the available leave.

Countries

Tonga - No, neither parent

Nauru - No, neither parent

Federated States of Micronesia - No, neither parent

Palau - No, neither parent

United States of America - No, neither parent

Marshall Islands - No, neither parent

Papua New Guinea - No, neither parent

Suriname - No, neither parent

Libya - Mothers only

Lesotho - Mothers only

Zimbabwe - Mothers only

Liechtenstein - Mothers only

Madagascar - Mothers only

Malawi - Mothers only

Malaysia - Mothers only

Mongolia - Mothers only

Lebanon - Mothers only

Democratic People's Republic of Korea - Mothers only

Kyrgyzstan - Mothers only

Kuwait - Mothers only

Kiribati - Mothers only

Kazakhstan - Mothers only

Jordan - Mothers only

Jamaica - Mothers only

Iraq - Mothers only

Iran - Mothers only

India - Mothers only

Honduras - Mothers only

Haiti - Mothers only

Guyana - Mothers only

Guinea-Bissau - Mothers only

Namibia - Mothers only

Oman - Mothers only

Nicaragua - Mothers only

St. Vincent and the Grenadines - Mothers only

Zambia - Mothers only

Yemen - Mothers only

Vanuatu - Mothers only

United Arab Emirates - Mothers only

Tuvalu - Mothers only

Trinidad and Tobago - Mothers only

Thailand - Mothers only

Tajikistan - Mothers only

Syria - Mothers only

Switzerland - Mothers only

Eswatini - Mothers only

Sudan - Mothers only

St. Lucia - Mothers only

Niger - Mothers only

St. Kitts and Nevis - Mothers only

Sri Lanka - Mothers only

Somalia - Mothers only

Solomon Islands - Mothers only

Sierra Leone - Mothers only

Senegal - Mothers only

Sao Tome and Principe - Mothers only

Qatar - Mothers only

Panama - Mothers only

Pakistan - Mothers only

Grenada - Mothers only

Nigeria - Mothers only

Guinea - Mothers only

Liberia - Mothers only

Ghana - Mothers only

Eritrea - Mothers only

Republic of the Congo - Mothers only

Belize - Mothers only

Barbados - Mothers only

Botswana - Mothers only

Bangladesh - Mothers only

Bahamas - Mothers only

Dominica - Mothers only

Comoros - Mothers only

Egypt - Mothers only

Brunei - Mothers only

China - Mothers only

Costa Rica - Mothers only

Ethiopia - Mothers only

Gabon - Mothers only

Cambodia - Mothers only

Antigua and Barbuda - Mothers only

Cameroon - Mothers only

Central African Republic - Mothers only

Georgia - Mothers only

Burkina Faso - Mothers only

Israel - Mother-specific entitlement, but can be transferred to father

New Zealand - Mother-specific entitlement, but can be transferred to father

South Sudan - Entitlement for both parents

Portugal - Entitlement for both parents

South Africa - Entitlement for both parents

Bosnia and Herzegovina - Entitlement for both parents

Slovenia - Entitlement for both parents

Romania - Entitlement for both parents

Slovakia - Entitlement for both parents

Singapore - Entitlement for both parents

Russian Federation - Entitlement for both parents

Brazil - Entitlement for both parents

- Entitlement for both parents

Serbia - Entitlement for both parents

Spain - Entitlement for both parents

Rwanda - Entitlement for both parents

Samoa - Entitlement for both parents

Bulgaria - Entitlement for both parents

San Marino - Entitlement for both parents

Saudi Arabia - Entitlement for both parents

Belarus - Entitlement for both parents

Bolivia - Entitlement for both parents

Turkmenistan - Entitlement for both parents

Algeria - Entitlement for both parents

Andorra - Entitlement for both parents

Vietnam - Entitlement for both parents

Venezuela - Entitlement for both parents

Angola - Entitlement for both parents

Uzbekistan - Entitlement for both parents

Uruguay - Entitlement for both parents

United Kingdom - Entitlement for both parents

Argentina - Entitlement for both parents

Ukraine - Entitlement for both parents

Uganda - Entitlement for both parents

Armenia - Entitlement for both parents

Turkey - Entitlement for both parents

Bhutan - Entitlement for both parents

Tunisia - Entitlement for both parents

Australia - Entitlement for both parents

Austria - Entitlement for both parents

Togo - Entitlement for both parents

Timor-Leste - Entitlement for both parents

Azerbaijan - Entitlement for both parents

Tanzania - Entitlement for both parents

Bahrain - Entitlement for both parents

Sweden - Entitlement for both parents

The Philippines - Entitlement for both parents

Belgium - Entitlement for both parents

Benin - Entitlement for both parents

Poland - Entitlement for both parents

Norway - Entitlement for both parents

Peru - Entitlement for both parents

Japan - Entitlement for both parents

Albania - Entitlement for both parents

Czech Republic - Entitlement for both parents

Denmark - Entitlement for both parents

Latvia - Entitlement for both parents

Djibouti - Entitlement for both parents

Dominican Republic - Entitlement for both parents

Republic of Korea - Entitlement for both parents

Ecuador - Entitlement for both parents

Kenya - Entitlement for both parents

El Salvador - Entitlement for both parents

Equatorial Guinea - Entitlement for both parents

Italy - Entitlement for both parents

Cuba - Entitlement for both parents

Ireland - Entitlement for both parents

Estonia - Entitlement for both parents

Indonesia - Entitlement for both parents

Fiji - Entitlement for both parents

Iceland - Entitlement for both parents

Hungary - Entitlement for both parents

Finland - Entitlement for both parents

France - Entitlement for both parents

The Gambia - Entitlement for both parents

Guatemala - Entitlement for both parents

Germany - Entitlement for both parents

Greenland - Entitlement for both parents

Cyprus - Entitlement for both parents

Lithuania - Entitlement for both parents

Paraguay - Entitlement for both parents

Morocco - Entitlement for both parents

Burundi - Entitlement for both parents

Canada - Entitlement for both parents

Cabo Verde - Entitlement for both parents

Greece - Entitlement for both parents

Chad - Entitlement for both parents

Chile - Entitlement for both parents

The Netherlands - Entitlement for both parents

Nepal - Entitlement for both parents

Colombia - Entitlement for both parents

Myanmar - Entitlement for both parents

Mozambique - Entitlement for both parents

Montenegro - Entitlement for both parents

Luxembourg - Entitlement for both parents

Monaco - Entitlement for both parents

Moldova - Entitlement for both parents

Democratic Republic of the Congo - Entitlement for both parents

Mexico - Entitlement for both parents

Mauritius - Entitlement for both parents

Mauritania - Entitlement for both parents

Malta - Entitlement for both parents

Mali - Entitlement for both parents

Maldives - Entitlement for both parents

Cote d'Ivoire - Entitlement for both parents

Croatia - Entitlement for both parents

North Macedonia - Entitlement for both parents

Afghanistan - Entitlement for both parents