Shedding light on the burden of the conversation around maternity and paternity leave, experts at the Final Law Review Consultation discussed Maternity Benefit Act and how the legislation affects women.
Extending paternity leave to reduce the burden of raising children on mothers, incentivizing employers, and sensitization of the corporate sector employing more women workers were among the recommendations made by experts at the Final Law Review Consultation on the Maternity Benefit Act, the NCW said on Saturday.
The National Commission for Women (NCW) had organized the Final Law Review Consultation on the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961, and the 2017 amendment. The meeting was aimed at reviewing and analyzing the legislation affecting women and recommending amendments to meet any lacunae, inadequacies, and shortcomings.
Some of the important suggestions made by the panelists were to extend the paternity leave period so that the burden of raising children is shared equally between both the parents, incentivizing employers and sensitization of the corporate sector to employ more women workers. The experts also discussed the issue of women working in the unorganized sector, a provision of crèche facilities on a case-to-case basis rather than a number of employees, and the scope for incentives for employers, the NCW said in a statement.
Through the consultation, the commission sought views, suggestions, and opinions of experts and stakeholders from all over the country. It also invited legal experts, lawyers, and academicians to deliberate upon the real challenges and technical issues faced by women, the statement said.