Maternity Leave: American Mothers Deserve Better

MATERNITY LEAVE AMERICAN MOTHERS DESERVE BETTER Mahatma Gandhi is credited with saying, "The ethical measure of a nation is how it treats its animals." A truer gauge might be how it treats its infants and new mothers. MOST OF THE WORLD AGREES Some Americans believe that emerging nations are unable to provide basic necessities and that so-called socialist states are Indifferent to individual needs. The numbers tell a happier story, in MATERNITY LEAVE IS A HUMAN RIGHT regard to newborns and moms. GUARANTEED PAID MATERNAL LEAVE IS THE NORM NUMBER OF WEEKS OF PAID NUMBER OF MONTHS OF PAID IN SWEDEN, EVEN DADS RECEIVE MONTHS OF FULL-WAGE LEAVE IN LEAVE IN PAID TIME OFE. MATERNITY LEAVE MANDATED IN MALTA SWEDEN SWEDEN AFGHANISTAN 14 1, 3 WEEKS MONTHS MONTHS MONTHS *Pre-Taliban COUNTRIES WITH NATIONAL 178 LAWS GUARANTEEING PAID PORTION OF WAGES PAID LEAVE FOR NEW MOTHERS DURING MATERNITY LEAVE IN 100% MALI, ALGERIA, RUSSIA, UZBEKISTAN, MEXICO, COLOMBIA, BRAZIL, AND 111 COUNTRIES WITH NATIONAL 50 LAWS GUARANTEEING PAID LEAVE FOR NEW FATHERS OTHER COUNTRIES AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM NUMBER OFWEEKS OF PAID MATERNITY LEAVE THE FMLA PROMISES UNPAID ZERO LEAVE ONLY 50% WEEKS PERCENTAGE OF WORKING GUARANTEED BY 1993's FAMILY & MEDICAL LEAVE ACT WOMEN NOT COVERED A QUESTION OF Skimping on the time mothers bond with their newborns is blamed for developmental delays, illnesses and even death. But all of us gain when babies spend a few more crucial weeks with mom. LIFE, DEATH, AND FINANCES BABY'S BEST-CASE SCENARIO 12 40 THE OPTIMAL LENGTH OF MATERNITY LEAVE IS BIRTH WEEKS WEEKS 40 WEEKS LIMITED LEAVE: THE BABY'S BURDEN AMERICAN INFANTS WHOSE MOTHERS ARE AT WORK WITHIN 12 WEEKS ARE... Less likely to meet More likely to have lower cognitive test Less likely to be More likely to have behavioral problems. schedules for doctors' breast-fed. visits and immunization. scores at age 4. play pranks the teacher GREATER LEAVE TIME SAVES LIVES, MAKES MONEY $ 20% Drop in infant mortality when parental leave is extended by 25% of U.S. poverty spells- when income falls below basic |40,000 Estimated annual increase of new mothers in the workforce 10 WEEKS living expenses are triggered by the if every woman in America had access to paid maternity leave. birth of a child. UNIVERSAL NEEDS Babies are a fact of life, and that should be good news. Unfortunately, in the U.S., a newborn presents strains that affect some new parents more than others. MET SEPARATELY, UNEQUALLY PAID LEAVE IS FREE IN AMERICA, FOR SOME % THE SHORT AND THE SHORT OF IT % PERCENTAGE OFWOMEN WHO.. PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN... RECEIVE SOME PAID LEAVE BY EDUCATION RECEIVE SOME PAID LEAVE BY AGE IN THE WORKFORCE WHO BECOME PREGNANT 100% (64%) 61%) 75% 40% 24) IN THE WORKFORCE WHO WERE (18%) BACK TO WORK ONE MONTH AFTER HAVING THEIR FIRST CHILD *2006 - 2008 0% 82% LESS THAN HIGH SCHOOL 25+ Y.O. LESS THAN 25 Y.O. COLLEGE DEGREE DIPLOMA YES YOU CAN DO SOMETHING... For starters, sign the "Paid Parental Leave by 2015 Petition" at WORKINGMOTHER.COM SOURCES: UN.ORG I CNN.COM I LEARNVEST.COM I U.S. CENSUS BUREAU I NATIONAL PARTNERSHIP FOR WOMEN AND FAMILIES I HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH I THINKPROGRESS.ORG Take Part INFOGRAPHIC DESIGN BY COLUMN FIVE ||||