Government Proposes 6-Month Paid Maternity Leave and 42-Day Paternity Care Leave

The government is preparing to table a bill amending the Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health Rights Act, 2075, with provisions proposing at least six months of paid maternity leave for mothers and up to 42 days of paid paternity care leave for fathers.

Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Sobita Gautam shared the information through social media, stating that the proposed amendment bill has been prepared and is now being prepared for submission to the Council of Ministers and subsequently to the Federal Parliament.

Under the proposed amendment, mothers would be entitled to at least six months of paid maternity leave following childbirth. The proposed provision aims to provide mothers with sufficient time to recover from childbirth and care for newborns during the early stages of their lives. The government has also linked the proposal to the changing nature of family and working life.

Minister Gautam noted that busy lifestyles, increasing work pressure and changing social patterns have led many families to limit themselves to one or two children. In such circumstances, she said, providing parents with adequate time to care for newborns and their families is also a responsibility of the state.

The bill also proposes up to 42 days of paid paternity care leave for fathers. The proposed provision seeks to formally recognize the role of fathers in newborn care and family responsibilities following childbirth. If implemented, both parents would have additional time to participate in childcare and provide support to each other during the early period after childbirth.

Gautam said that while childbirth is a natural process associated with mothers, raising a child should not be considered the sole responsibility of the mother. According to Gautam, the proposed amendment represents an important policy change in the areas of safe motherhood and parenthood.

She emphasized that caring for a newborn requires the involvement of both parents, adding that fathers should also have the opportunity to participate actively in childcare and provide necessary support to mothers. The proposed provisions are intended to address parental responsibilities more equally and help families manage childcare during the early stages of a child's life.

The proposed amendment bill will first go through the Council of Ministers before being submitted to the Federal Parliament. If endorsed by the Cabinet and subsequently passed by Parliament and implemented, the amendment would establish clearer legal provisions concerning paid maternity and paternity care leave while expanding the policy framework for safe motherhood and parental responsibilities.