Leave it to dad!

Brit fathers have become eligible for a six-month paternity leave. Do we need it too?

If all goes well, British workers can soon claim paternity leave as a part of the UK government's plan to move towards a more family-friendly work culture. According to the new proposal, slated to come into force by 2007, dads in the UK would get six months to look after their babies, if the mothers return to work early.

While the Brit dads have already earned a place by the newborn's cradle, Indian men are also asking for this right. Carrying the debate forward are media, blogs and informal forums: Do Indian dads also need a paternity leave? For how long?

Argues singer Palash Sen, a doctor by profession, "Men and women should not only share equal responsibilities for raising a child, but also make equal sacrifices on the professional front. Why should only women miss work and hamper their career prospects?"

According to experts, urban women are postponing having a child in order to pursue their careers. Boardroom battles are being fought by the fairer sex even as their biological clock ticks.

If paternity leave ever comes into force, especially in the private sector, men and women can share responsibilities between themselves and thereby not mar their career prospects.

"Other than career, it's also important that the new parents spend quality time with each other. It goes a long way in building a great rapport and strengthening familial relationships. When my child was born, I used to change diapers and take care of every little want of the newborn," says fashion designer Jatinn Kochchar.

Psychiatrist Samir Parikh agrees: "The father also goes through the same emotional stress and involvement as the mother during the pregnancy. And just after the delivery of the child, the mother needs more emotional support which her husband's presence can provide. At least three months' leave is necessary for the new father."

While workers may be happy with this idea, employers – especially those in the small enterprises – may not embrace it with open arms. "If male employees started taking leave for such a long duration, small firms will face serious labour shortage.

And since the number of male workers is much higher than the female workers, the claims for paternity leave will be unmanageable. A month or a few weeks is fine, but anything beyond that will cause a lot of confusion," says SR Singh, Head Consultant, Small Scale Enterprises, FICCI.

"Instead of long paternity leave, government and private companies should provide health-care and child-care facilities and other allowances. Paternity leave may be suitable in the context of UK where nuclear family is a dominant social norm, but it is too early to be implemented in India," he adds.

However, women's groups are all out in support of this proposal. Hailing it as a step in the right direction, they believe this will help in "equating the household.

We would certainly want such a labour proposal to become a statutory requirement in the private sector," says NK Bannerjee, Director, Center for Women's Development Studies.