Gendered labor structures and cultural norms, not father willingness, limit global uptake of overlapping parental leave
Original framing: “Overlapping parental leave is the right idea – we just need more fathers to take it” — The Conversation - Global
Low‑wage, precarious, and migrant workers often lack any statutory paid leave, rendering overlapping policies irrelevant for them. Their testimonies reveal that fear of job loss, lack of union representation, and language barriers are decisive factors. Centering these voices demands policies that extend coverage beyond formal employment and embed social security guarantees.
The low uptake of overlapping parental leave is not a matter of paternal reluctance but a symptom of entrenched gendered labor structures, wage inequities, and cultural narratives that valorize male breadwinning.
Historical patterns of industrial capitalism, reinforced by contemporary neoliberal policies, have marginalized Indigenous communal caregiving models and silenced low‑income workers' needs. By integrating scientific evidence, Indigenous knowledge, and cross‑cultural perspectives, and by employing trickster insights to expose policy paradoxes, we can design gender‑neutral, well‑paid, and universally protected leave systems that are supported by community‑based care networks and transformative public narratives. Such systemic reforms, championed by governments, unions, and civil society, will not only increase father participation but also advance gender equity, child wellbeing, and economic resilience.