It is a universal assumption that mothers are the ones who take care of children, but more fathers are now taking time off to look after their new-born babies and their partners, soon after childbirth. Countries worldwide are setting benchmarks for policies to support men’s involvement in parenting with a focus on paternity leave. According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), about 90 out of 138 countries offer statutory paid paternity leave, citing a study by Promundo, a United States (US) based organisation promoting gender equality. Sweden was the first country to introduce gender-neutral parental leave, with non-transferable leave reserved exclusively for fathers. ASEAN countries are also introducing policies to allow fathers to take parental responsibility. Read More