In a country that was named among the most “fatherless” in the world, lawmakers’ decision to declare child-rearing a shared responsibility between partners in the recently passed Maternal and Child Welfare Law has garnered mixed responses, with critics saying the provision, which lacks both a monitoring mechanism and sanctions for violations, is insufficient to ensure that fathers will take a more active role.
The new law aims to streamline existing regulations to improve the welfare of parents and children during the first 1,000 days of the babies’ lives in the hope of curbing high maternal and infant mortality and stunting rates.
Passed unanimously by the House of Representatives in a plenary session on Tuesday, the legislation extends paid maternity leave from three months to a maximum of six for mothers with certain medical conditions, if they can provide a doctor’s note.
The law also grants legal protection for mothers taking maternity leave or leave to recover from a miscarriage, preventing them from being fired during or because of that period.
Meanwhile, expectant fathers have the right to take up to five days of leave to accompany their wives for the birth of their child, compared to the two days stipulated by the previous regulation.
The law also says parents share the responsibility to ensure the survival of their children and nurture their development, among other duties. A previous draft ascribed these responsibilities only to the mothers.
Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Minister I Gusti Ayu Bintang Darmawati said raising children and ensuring their welfare was the responsibility of both parents.
“Fathers should be able to ensure that their spouses and children have access to healthcare and nutritious food. They must support mothers in breastfeeding their babies and help alleviate their partners’ burdens too,” I Gusti Ayu said recently, adding that creating mother-and-child-friendly environments in the house, workplace and public spaces was crucial to improving the welfare of both women and children.
A three-year-long study across 33 provinces of the country between 2008-2010 crowned Indonesia as one of the most “fatherless” countries in the world, with researchers finding that most men lagged behind women in parenting.
Meanwhile, studies from 1987 to 2005 consistently showed a positive correlation between a father’s involvement and his children’s overall social competence, social initiative, social maturity and capacity to relate to others.
Khotimun Susasti of the Legal Aid Foundation of the Indonesian Women’s Association for Justice (LBH APIK) said the government needed to create educational campaigns on the importance of men’s role in childcare to be able to effectively implement the new law.
“All stakeholders, from the central government to village heads, must actively participate in the campaign,” she said. — The Jakarta Post/ANN
