10 Best & Worst Countries In The World For Paid Maternity Leave

Paid maternity / parental leave is not a new hot topic here in Australia. What is quite shocking however is that this serious issue is still being debated today.

The Save the Children ‘State of the World’s Mothers’ Report compares the well-being of mothers and children in 158 countries and is published every year as a celebration of Mother’s Day. The 10^th annual “Mothers’ Index”  has Sweden, Norway & Australia in top rankings for 2009. This is an achievement that Australia can certainly be very proud of. However, what this report has highlighted is one area which Australia seriously falls short on, paid leave.

Aussie mums join Americans & Macedonians as the only mums in the world not to receive a cent while on maternity leave. To put this further into perspective, mums in flood-ravaged Peru, poverty-stricken Bangladesh & war-torn Afghanistan all fair better than our Aussie mums with some form of paid leave available to them.

10 Best Countries for Paid Maternity Leave:

1. Sweden – up to 80% of average wage for up to 480 days (for mums or dads) & expected to share parental leave either in equal halves or greater part dependant on the partners consent
2. Croatia – 100% of wages for one-year plus for mums
3. Denmark – up to 100% of wages for 1 year (18 wks for the mums, 2 wks for the dads & the remainder to be split as the parents see fit)
4. Serbia – up to 100% of wages for 1 year
5. Bosnia & Herzegovina – up to 100% of wages for 1 year
6. Albania – up to 80% of wages for 1 year
7. Norway – pays up to 100% of wages for 42-52 weeks
8. UK – up to 90% of wages for 39 weeks & 2-weeks  paternity leave
9. Iceland – up to 80% of wages for 36 weeks
10. Ukraine – up to 100% of wages for 18 weeks & a child’s carer can request leave any time before their charge reaches the age of 3

10 Worst countries for Paid Maternity Leave:

1. United States – pays nothing for 12 weeks off
2. Macedonia – pays nothing for 9 months off
3. Australia  – pays nothing for one year off
4. Kuwait  – pays 100% of wages for 10 weeks off
5. Bangladesh  – pays 100% of wages for 12 weeks off
6. Rwanda, Somalia & Tanzania – pays for 12 weeks off (similar to most African countries)
7. Peru, Columbia & Ecuador – pays 100% of wages for 12 weeks off  (similar to most South American countries)
8. Fiji  – pays a flat rate for 12 weeks off
9. New Zealand  – pays up to 80% of wages for 14 weeks off
10. Afghanistan  – pays 100% of wages for 13 weeks off

Before you up-sticks and move to Europe where many countries offer well-established & fair schemes, a solution is being developed on our shores.

Thirty years after Australian women and unions first began campaigning for paid maternity leave, the Rudd government has committed to an 18-week national scheme that would pay the primary carer $544 a week. This scheme is scheduled to roll out nationally in 2011. The opposition leader, Tony Abbott, has countered Rudd’s proposal with his own version – six months’ parental leave at full pay (salaries up to $150,000). This scheme has won the support of the Greens & two independents as well as making Rudd consider altering his proposed scheme.

Whatever the final solution is, let’s hope it’s enough to help Australia’s Mothers take out the top spot in 2011’s report. Source: Current maternity leave entitlements.

Bonus mention: Watch the SBS Insight Show ‘What Women Want’.

If you have a bun in the oven, what do you think the government should do? Thinking about babies, would you move to get better benefits? Leave a comment below: