Paid paternity leave for fathers: Bi

Soroptimist International Fiji made its’ submission to the Constitution Commission for the incorporation of five working days of paid paternity leave for father’s beginning from the day of the birth/delivery of the baby.

National president of Soroptimist International, Zareena Bi said, “Soroptimist International is a worldwide woman based Non-Profit Organisation looking after the interest of girls and women in the society though this submission seemed to look at the benefit of men.”

Bi added that this leave will ensure fathers’ support to new mums and they would start caring for babies from the start.

 “Studies have shown that father's involvement is just as important to a child's cognitive and social development as the impact of a mother,” Bi said.

This will ensure the bonding of the family unit as a whole from the onset, added Bi.

“A father’s involvement in the nurturing of their children is very significant nowadays with the current trend of nuclear families in our society,” Bi said.

Meanwhile, Australian Federal Parliament has just passed a legislation whereby fathers will get two weeks’ Government funded parental leave to spend time with their newborn babies.

Bi added that according to a new report, "Dads Expect Better," conducted by the National Partnership for Women & Families, at least 66 countries in the world guarantee a father’s right to paid paternal leave and 31 of these countries offer 14 weeks or more leave.

Constitutional submission continues in Koro Island.

By Indrani Krishna