Nos revendications | Parentalité pour toustes !
PARENTHOOD FOR ALL! WE DEMAND BIRTH LEAVE FOR ALL.
« Birth leave is not a priority at this time. » This is the response of the Minister of Labor to the demand of the JIF that can entitle heterosexual men as well as lesbian partners to have a three-month leave in parallel with the maternity leave of their companions.
Birth leave sets the stage for an equal sharing of caregiving work within the couple and makes it possible for each partner to invest equally in parenting from the moment the child is born.
Not a priority? It depends on who it is for.
Birth leave replaces the paternity leave currently in force. It is complementary to maternity leave and only includes 10 days. It is only available to the male partner in a heterosexual couple. Lesbian partners are only entitled to it if they have adopted their child. However, the law governing adoption rights still does not provide for the principle of co-parenthood for same-sex partners. Thus, in the case of lesbian couples, in addition to the maternity leave of the partner who has given birth, only the adoption leave is available for her partner.
It is time to change the models of parenthood and to ensure that the first months of a child’s life can be experienced serenely by both parents. After giving birth, women usually need a lot of rest. Postpartum depression is common. Caring for a newborn in the first few months of their life is often too much for a single parent to handle, especially after giving birth.
This is why we demand the replacement of the 10-day « paternity leave » with a 3-month full-time birth leave open to all. We also demand:
- The inclusion of the principle of « co-parenthood » in the law on filiation.
- The compensation of the birth leave by a full salary.