New dads in Shenzhen could soon get 30 days of paid paternity leave under a draft regulation that aims to promote gender equality.
The city's Women's Federation has drawn up a draft regulation, the first of its kind on the mainland, that is expected to be included in Shenzhen's legislative plans this year, the Guangzhou Daily said yesterday.
If the bill is passed, Shenzhen will be the first city to have detailed rules protecting women against gender discrimination in the workplace as well as domestic and sexual violence. Fathers will get leave to be with their wives and newborns.
The new provision for fathers was welcomed by Liu Fang , a female lawyer in Shenzhen. 'Currently, gender equality in the country's laws is mainly focused on public affairs. No laws have specified men's rights for paternity leave. Shenzhen's move indicates that people have developed a positive attitude toward men's involvement,' she said.
Thirty-six countries, mostly in Europe, allow leave for both parents, according to Xinhua.
In the mainland, some areas offer time off for new dads. The duration usually ranges from three to 10 days. Such holidays exist only in regional law and only as an addition to the country's birth control policy.
But the draft's main focus is on gender equality for women.