The World Bank’s proposal to extend paid maternity for mothers in Kenya by two weeks to address gender gaps, while well-meaning, would need the buy-in of employers to avoid discrimination against women seeking employment in the aftermath.
The push for longer paid leave for mothers continues to divide opinions, with some arguing it would place a burden on employers.
The World Bank Group’s Women, Business and the Law Index shows women in Kenya enjoy only 81 percent of the legal rights of men, with inequalities in areas of entrepreneurship, parenthood, assets, and pensions.
Kenya’s employment law allows a fully paid three-month maternity leave for mothers nursing their own pregnancies and a two-week paternity break for fathers.
Offering longer paid leave can help to reduce the gender pay gap and promote gender equality in the workplace, as it enables mothers to take time off work without sacrificing their career prospects.
But employers in Kenya have in the past opposed similar proposals, arguing that it could damage women’s careers and deny them job opportunities if it is adopted.
Employers would need to bear the costs of providing longer paid leave, which could be a significant financial burden, particularly for small businesses.
In addition, they would need to find replacements or redistribute workloads, potentially causing disruptions to productivity.
Some also argue that longer paid leave could harm the economy by reducing labour force participation rates and increasing the costs of hiring and training replacement workers.
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