Through The MCH Bill, Not Only Pregnant Women Can Take 6 Months Leave, Husbands Also Have 40 Days Off

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JAKARTA - The DPR also initiated 40 days of leave for husbands whose wives gave birth in the Draft Law on Maternal and Child Welfare (RUU KIA). In this bill, the DPR also proposes to increase the time for maternity leave for working mothers, with a total leave of 6 months.

"The House of Representatives highlights that at this time fathers are increasingly aware of the need to participate in childcare tasks. So through the MCH Bill, we will encourage paternity leave," said Deputy Chair of the Legislative Body (Baleg) DPR, Willy Aditya, Monday, June 20.

Based on the Manpower Law no. 13 of 2003, female workers are entitled to leave for 3 months. Meanwhile, male workers whose wives give birth can only get two days of leave.

On the other hand, male civil servants (PNS) are allowed to apply for one month's leave if his wife gives birth. This is stated in the BKN Regulation Number 24 of 2017.

Willy stated that the MCH Bill strengthens the right of husbands to be able to accompany their wives who give birth or experience miscarriages. This proposal is contained in Article 6 of the draft MCH Bill which stipulates that husbands are entitled to a maximum of 40 days of maternity leave of assistance or mothers who experience a miscarriage for a maximum of 7 days.

"The Maternal and Child Welfare Bill protects the husband's right to accompany his wife during childbirth and for the first 40 days as new parents," he said.

According to Willy, the DPR wants to restore the primacy of humanity and the family, where care for the future generation of Indonesia is an important thing to move humanity.

"One thing I want to reiterate, currently capitalism has led family members out of the house to fuel the system by entering factories and industrialization," said Willy.

"Therefore, the DPR encourages companies to start thinking about paternity leave or maternity leave for male employees whose wives give birth as an effort to restore the primacy of humanity and family," continued the legislator from the East Java XI electoral district.

Willy said the MCH Bill was designed to create superior Indonesian human resources (HR). This policy design also focuses on the golden growth period of children, which is a crucial period of child growth and development.

Therefore, the MCH Bill emphasizes the importance of managing the welfare of mothers and children in a directed, integrated, and sustainable manner. One of them is through the fulfillment of the basic rights of parents, especially mothers, including the right to adequate leave for working parents.

"In this MCH Bill, the state does not intervene in the privacy of citizens, but carries out its constitutional duties and functions to ensure the general welfare and intelligence of the nation," said Willy.

This member of the House of Representatives Commission XI said the MCH Bill was urgently needed to support the Indonesia Gold target in 2045. Moreover, said Willy, Indonesia will have a demographic bonus that must be prepared from now on so that future generations of the nation will have optimal growth and development so that they can become superior human resources as the golden generation.

“The state is here to ensure that mothers in Indonesia are healthy in all respects and to be a continuing factor for healthy and quality regeneration. Likewise, guarantees for children to develop in optimal conditions," he said.

Willy added that the MCH Bill is also in line with UNICEF which encourages parents to take at least 6 months of paid child care leave. Several countries have also adopted paternity leave rules which are also considered as a form of support for gender equality.

At least, nearly 40 countries in the world have introduced paid leave policies for male workers to help their wives who have just given birth to take care of children. Actually, in Indonesia there are already companies that implement this paternity leave, but the amount can be counted on the fingers.

"Paternity leave or paternity leave is still considered no more important than maternity leave for mothers, so not many companies offer parental leave with benefits to fathers who have just had children," said Willy.

Though paternity leave is very important in the child's growth. Willy also hopes that the MCH Bill can provide equal opportunities for mothers and fathers in raising children.

"This bill is important to ensure that the country comes with a big mission to prepare high-quality Indonesian human resources and is able to lead collaborative work with other nations in the future," he concluded.