Longer maternity leave needed

After childbirth most office-going women find it difficult to strike a balance between work and childcare, and seek the help of nannies or their parents or parents-in-law to look after their kids. To help new mothers to overcome this problem, a Beijing lawmaker has suggested that the government extend women's maternity leave to three years, says an article on gmw.cn. Excerpts:

Extending the maternity leave is a controversial issue. Some people even say that what the deputy has suggested is impractical. But such suggestions reflect the dilemma that women face after childbirth.

People disagree with the lawmaker's suggestion mainly because they believe a longer maternity leave could make it more difficult for women to excel in their careers in the already tough job market. Worse, many employers could use the three-year maternity leave clause as an excuse to not hire women.

But the fact is that, such a proposal is not new. Many Western countries have provisions for long maternity leaves with special insurance cover to encourage more working women to have children. China could learn from advanced countries' experience to protect women's right to work as well as excel in their careers.

In fact, the result of a recent online survey shows that, although people think a three-year maternity leave is too long, they agree that it should be extended to one year.

So, instead of criticizing the lawmaker for suggesting a three-year maternity leave, we should look at its positive side and, if possible, promote such constructive ideas to excel both in childcare and career.

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