It is planned to revalue the maternity system so that both fathers and mothers will in future receive 11 weeks of earmarked leave each.
– We have for decades been able to see that the unequal distribution of maternity and parental leave, where the mother takes most of the time, has been one of the structural barriers to equal parenting, but also to women’s equality in the labor market, says Majbrit Berlau, Vice President and FH.
With Anette Borchorst, professor and gender equality researcher at Aalborg University, there is no doubt: The agreement, should it become a reality, will make the fathers take more weeks off than now.
– You know that earmarking works, she says and points to experiences from other Nordic countries, Sweden, Norway and Iceland, which have different models than the Danish:
– These are quite complicated rules, but the easiest is probably the Icelandic model. In 2000, they introduced a three-month model for mom, three for dad and three for sharing.
So it has everywhere made men take more, says the researcher.
Therefore, the new agreement is also a step forward, says Morten Emmerik Wøldike, chief consultant at the Department of Human Rights, where he deals with equal treatment.
– It is a clear step forward for the equality of women and men in the labor market and at home and a strengthening of fathers’ opportunity to be with their young children, he says.
Morten Emmerik Wøldike also emphasizes the experiences from other Nordic countries, where men take significantly more leave than in Denmark.
Even though the Danish men according to studies are willing to take more.
– We have asked Danish parents about their attitudes to leave. And we can see that fathers would actually be interested in taking more leave if it was earmarked. It is an expression that the fathers are ready for it, he says.
The agreement follows an EU directive that requires countries to earmark nine weeks’ leave for both parents. The directive must be implemented by August 2022.
That is probably a decisive reason why a change is being planned now, says Anette Borchorst.
– Otherwise I do not think it had come. The writing on the wall has been read.
There is a political majority in favor of equalizing the leave for fathers and mothers according to the model presented, but there have also been critical shakes.
The Conservatives call the deal “the least of several evils”. They basically do not believe there should be earmarked maternity leave.
The Liberal Alliance calls it an attack on family life and free choice.
But according to Morten Emmerik Wøldike, it requires structural changes such as the presented plan if it is to really upset the balance.
– We have long known that the way forward for more equality in this area is through securing legislation that earns more leave for fathers and supports fathers’ rights to take leave with their children while they are young.