Parenting, no longer a gendered thing

'Pregnancy to infancy' duty is, thankfully, not what it used to be - squarely the would-be/given-birth mother's domain. Earlier this week, on two separate occasions, Supreme Court urged GoI to legalise this reality: one, by recognising paternity leave as a social security benefit; two, by extending the 3-mth maternity leave to all new mothers. It's time the government got progressive on this front.

Beyond the ideological aspect of sharing responsibility, there is a practical aspect. While the care of infants and children is still seen essentially as a woman's job, proliferation of nuclear families and two-income households have done away with 'family elders' (read: grandparents) 'helping out'.

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As a result, the work of caring for newborns and young children has become a shared task between couples. In the second court ruling that even adoptive mothers are entitled to full 12 weeks of maternity leave, irrespective of the adopted child's age, it was recognised that 'bonding' is no longer a new-age idea, and maternity leave is more than recovery and care of an infant. It's recognition that there is more to care for a new child, and both parents need to give time and space for that purpose.

The notion of a 'distant' father whose duty was solely to provide for the family is an anachronism that should be quickly put to pasture. It's time the law recognises that as well. Also, as the cadre of single parents grows, and non-traditional arrangements of what constitutes a family become more common and socially acceptable, the law will need to adjust and accommodate, while remaining true to first principles of care. GoI should take the necessary steps to ensure that Gen Next has a strong, equitable grounded start in family life.