Blowing Water | Stop lagging behind, Hong Kong, it’s high time to extend maternity leave
Giving mothers the right support to re-enter the workforce is a win-win for all, including employers and society at large, Luisa Tam argues
It is an absolute pleasure to see politicians who genuinely serve the people instead of themselves, and who are willing to go against all odds to fight for what is just and right.
In that regard, New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was truly a breath of fresh air when she brought her three-month-old daughter, Neve, into the United Nations assembly hall recently to attend a plenary meeting – the Nelson Mandela Peace Summit – which she also addressed.
Ardern had earlier shot to international fame for giving birth while in office – becoming the second world leader in history to do so. The first was the late Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan’s former prime minister.
By bringing her baby to the UN session, Ardern was making a point about the difficulties and challenges working mothers face in today’s increasingly unforgiving work environment. They are stigmatised and sidelined, and sadly they are assumed to be a burden in the workplace rather than an asset.
Can Carrie Lam bridge Hong Kong's maternity leave gap?
Working mothers, especially those with infants, often have to squeeze both childcare and work into a busy day. In Ardern’s case, her version of a busy day would certainly overwhelm any working mother – or father, for that matter.