In Sweden, fathers are offered up to 16 months paid paternity leave after the birth of a child, the most generous in the world, during which time they are paid 80% of their gross salary, up to a ceiling of about 30,000 pounds.
In Britain, by contrast, they are offered two weeks after the birth at (low) statutory level. The extreme disparity between those approaches reflects broad differences across Europe, and around the world, on an issue that is currently being hotly debated, both in the European parliament and at Westminster.
Natalie Bennett, Chair of Green Party Women, looks at how we need to change our approach to fatherhood – read more here.
Thank you for this Article. Fathers’ right to be a meaningful part of their childrens’ lives, have been eroded to the point of non-existence. My research suggests that this is a phenomenon consistent throughout the industrialized nations. Children who are alienated from their fathers are more likely later in life to have emotional/behavioral problems, suffer from depression, drop out of school, fail in their jobs, and suffer from other social problems. I invite you to visit my site devoted to raising awareness on this growing problem: http://fathersprivilege.blogspot.com/