44% rise in men taking paternity leave

Denmark has seen a 44% increase in men on paternity leave since 2022, according to the Danish Agency for Labour Market and Recruitment, reports Sampension. While men’s paternity leave has risen, women’s maternity leave has decreased by 14%. As of February, 19,329 men were on leave. The boost follows a policy change in August 2022 that earmarked 11 weeks of parental leave for each parent. Anne-Louise Lindkvist from Sampension attributes the surge to the new rules, noting that fathers are now spending more time with their newborns. Statistics reveal that eligible men recently averaged 62 days of leave, 25 days more than the previous year. This shift is seen as positive for gender equality in economic areas such as pensions, as women historically took most parental leave, impacting their pension savings.