cover image: Matthew and Matilda effects of “gender-neutral” parenting leave designs at birth

Matthew and Matilda effects of “gender-neutral” parenting leave designs at birth

18 Sep 2024

It is the lowest paid leave duration and coverage for employed mothers in the EU in 2024, below the EU 2019 WLB Directive minimum standards for mothers. [...] • This diverges from the EU leave architecture (1992 +2019 Directives) which following the ILO conventions distinguish maternity and parental leave, providing additional labour and social protection to working mothers in terms of protected paid leave acknowledging their different situation and higher health and economic vulnerability in (late) pregnancy and after birth. [...] I will name in this case, the Matilda Effect of gender-neutral leave design and terminology at birth, the relative under recognition of maternal physical work, of gendered-care needs and differential reproductive health and labour risks in maternal labour trajectories, which may lead to a devaluation effect and lower sense of entitlement for mothers. [...] Terminology has a strong symbolical impact on social structuring, conforming identities, sense of entitlement and power relations… The Spanish case: central elements and rationales • Focus on de-gendering leave terminology and design at birth time (just equalising paternity to maternity leave) without extending duration of paid leave after birth • Unpaid parental leave and low generosity for mothe. [...] The “optimistic case study” in Fusulier’s research (2017) where the presence of children appears as an advantage, inducing greater efficiency in academic careers (importance of the configurational supports in the professional and family environment).

Authors

ANNA ESCOBEDO CAPARROS

Pages
15
Published in
Austria

Table of Contents