UK still fails on family fairness
Joe Lepper
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
UK families are getting a raw deal compared to those living in other developed countries, according to the latest study by the Fatherhood Institute.
The Fatherhood Institute's Fairness in Families Index found that, overall, the UK is ranked 18th out of 21 countries on issues such as paternity leave.
The UK was ranked just 15th in terms of paid paternity leave. Men living in top ranked Sweden can get up to 40 weeks’ paid leave following the birth of a child while in the UK the average is just two days.
Opportunities for men to work part time are also restricted in the UK, where just 24.2 per cent of men work part time, compared to 37.7 per cent in Denmark.
The pay gap between men and women is also greater in the UK than many other developed countries. In the UK the gap between median earnings of men and women is 21 per cent, compared to 9.3 per cent in Belgium.
Fatherhood Institute chief executive Rob Williams said: "Parents’ choices are restricted by an outdated distinction between fathers as breadwinners and mothers as home-makers. There is clearly a long way to go if we are to become the most family-friendly country in Europe."
Other indicators used in the index include the amount of time men spend on housework and caring for their children.
Among the developed countries looked at, only Japan, Austria and Switzerland were considered less family friendly than the UK.
The UK was ranked just 15th in terms of paid paternity leave. Men living in top ranked Sweden can get up to 40 weeks’ paid leave following the birth of a child while in the UK the average is just two days.
Opportunities for men to work part time are also restricted in the UK, where just 24.2 per cent of men work part time, compared to 37.7 per cent in Denmark.
The pay gap between men and women is also greater in the UK than many other developed countries. In the UK the gap between median earnings of men and women is 21 per cent, compared to 9.3 per cent in Belgium.
Fatherhood Institute chief executive Rob Williams said: "Parents’ choices are restricted by an outdated distinction between fathers as breadwinners and mothers as home-makers. There is clearly a long way to go if we are to become the most family-friendly country in Europe."
Other indicators used in the index include the amount of time men spend on housework and caring for their children.
Among the developed countries looked at, only Japan, Austria and Switzerland were considered less family friendly than the UK.
