South Africa to introduce shared parental leave after landmark judgment

South Africa to introduce shared parental leave after landmark judgment

Country will be first in Africa to introduce measure after its high court ruled that both parents must have right to time off

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South Africa is set to become the first country in Africa to introduce shared parental leave after a high court ruled that both parents must have the right to time off after the birth of a baby or adopting a child.

The landmark judgment allows parents to choose how to divide four months parental leave between them. Previously, mothers were entitled to four months’ leave while fathers or partners were allowed a maximum of 10 days. While there has been growth in the number of African nations guaranteeing paid leave for fathers over the past 20 years, in many countries it remains below three weeks. Some only allow two or three days off.

Campaigners have labelled it a tremendous step. Wessel van den Berg, MenCare officer at Equimundo, a gender equality organisation, said: “It raises the bar on leave for parents in a wonderful way. I’m thrilled our law is becoming more in line with our constitution.” He added that while the judgment was “a significant milestone”, it also highlighted the need for further reforms to align policy with the reality of life in the country. Politicians have two years to refine and develop the law.

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They, along with Van den Berg and Mbuli, want to see an extra portion of non-transferable “use it or lose it” leave for both parents, that does not cut into the shared leave period, as in Spain and Sweden. “The journey is far from over,” said Van den Berg, “but this judgment represents a promising step toward a more equitable and balanced caregiving landscape in South Africa.”

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2023/nov/10/south-africa-to-introduce-shared-parental-leave-after-landmark-judgment