Parental disparity, made visible
Equal parenting advocates are wrapping slings with model babies around the necks of some of London's most iconic statues of male figures. These include engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel, actor Laurence Olivier and footballer Thierry Henry. The campaign seeks to improve paternity leave conditions in the UK, among the least generous in Europe.
Fathers and co-parents are entitled to two weeks of statutory leave in the UK, paid at less than half of the national minimum wage. In comparison, mothers who have given birth receive up to 39 weeks of paid leave.
In an open letter to British PM Keir Starmer, campaigners from Dad Shift write that more equal parental leave benefits mothers, fathers and babies – while also reducing gender gaps. They highlight that countries with six weeks or more paternity leave, such as Spain and Sweden, have a smaller gender pay gap as well as greater workforce and household participation between men and women.