UN Women and World Bank brief finds mothers get 196 days of paid leave on average and fathers 25
22 October 2026
A policy brief by UN Women and the World Bank Group, published on 22 October 2026, finds that mothers receive 196 days of paid leave on average and fathers just 25.
That means mothers get nearly eight times as much paid leave as fathers.
In 66 of the 190 economies surveyed, fathers are guaranteed no paid leave at all.
In 61 economies mothers get less than the International Labour Organization standard of 14 weeks, and in six they have no guaranteed paid leave.
The brief is titled 'From Parenthood Leave to Childcare Services' and comes from the Women, Business and the Law project.
It was released ahead of the International Day of Care and Support on 29 October.
In plain words
UN Women United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women — The UN body for gender equality, set up in 2010.
ILO International Labour Organization — The UN agency that sets international labour standards.