Fathers get less paid-leave and mothers are paying the price

A new UN report found that of the 124 countries that offer paid parental leave for men, half offer less than two weeks. That is still better, however, than the 66 countries that offer no paid leave at all, including the U.S. Meanwhile, Equimundo’s State of the World’s Fathers 2026 report found that men increasingly want to be more involved in the caregiving process. About 87% of fathers say they lack support. The gap leaves women carrying a disproportionate share of caregiving responsibilities. When fathers stay home, they share more of the load, easing the burden on mothers who spend on average 2.5 more hours per day on unpaid care work than men. The UN says closing the parenthood gap will empower more fathers to spend time with their children and potentially reduce the "motherhood penalty” for female workers, which includes negative impacts on a mother’s earnings and career progression after maternity leave.