Abstract
Even though paid maternity leave was the earliest form of social protection specifically aimed at women workers and is fundamental in securing their economic independence vis-à-vis employers and spouses, it has received scant scholarly attention. Neither the traditional historical accounts of welfare state emergence nor the more recent gendered analyses of developed welfare states have provided comparative accounts of its beginnings and trajectories. Employing the newly created historical database of maternity leave, we provide the first global and historical perspective on paid maternity leave policies covering 157 countries from the 1880s to 2018. Focusing on eligibility rather than generosity, we construct a measure of inclusiveness of paid maternity leaves to highlight how paid maternity leave has shaped not only gender but also social inequality, which has, until recently, largely been ignored by the literature on leave policies. The analyses of coverage expansion by sector and the development of eligibility rules reveal how paid maternity leave has historically stratified women workers by occupation and labor market position but is slowly evolving into a more universal social right across a broad range of countries. Potential drivers for this development are identified using multivariate analysis, suggesting a pivotal role for the political empowerment of women in the struggle for gender and social equality. However, the prevalence of informal labor combined with insufficient or non-existing maternity benefits outside the systems of social insurance still poses significant obstacles to the protection of women workers in some countries.
Highlights
Paid maternity leave was the earliest social protection policy explicitly aimed at women workers, serving decommodification as well as defamilization (Bambra, 2007)
Social Inclusion, 2021, Volume 9, Issue 2, Pages 275–287 a negligible role in historical accounts of welfare state emergence, which mainly focused on social protection programs for the risks of old-age, unemployment, and sickness (Esping-Andersen, 1990; Flora & Heidenheimer, 1981)
While later research launched forceful critiques against this male breadwinner-centered conceptualization and measurement of social rights, the expansion of paid maternity leave policies was associated with reinforcing the role of women as caregivers (Daly & Ferragina, 2018; Dobrotić & Stropnik, 2020), especially compared to more recent childcare and parental leave policies, which potentially could reshape gender relations (Leitner, 2003; Saraceno, 2011)
Summary
Paid maternity leave was the earliest social protection policy explicitly aimed at women workers, serving decommodification as well as defamilization (Bambra, 2007) To this day, it shapes women’s economic empowerment by enabling mothers to maintain paid employment (Htun, Jensenius, & Nelson-Nuñez, 2019). It shapes women’s economic empowerment by enabling mothers to maintain paid employment (Htun, Jensenius, & Nelson-Nuñez, 2019) Despite this fundamental role in providing social protection for women workers, little is known about the historical development of paid maternity leave policies. A deeper understanding of the developmental patterns of paid maternity leave policies throughout the world extends across existing accounts of the gendered development of established welfare states It showcases the extent and limitations of social protection geared towards women workers in developing countries. The identification of its drivers, on the other hand, enables us to gauge how much these struggles are distinct from one another or can overlap
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
