A new study has found that the longer the paternity leave fathers take, the higher the awareness of gender equality among family members.
A research team led by Professor Jonanda Homola of the Department of Political Science at Rice University published these findings in the international academic journal ‘American Political Science Review’ on the 26th (local time). Washington University in St. Louis, the University of Oxford, and ETH Zurich also participated in the research.
The team analyzed 1,362 Estonian parents. In July 2020, Estonia introduced a policy that tripled the length of men's paternity leave. "We analyzed how paternity leave affects individuals' attitudes towards gender roles and gender discrimination," the team said.
The analysis showed that in families where fathers took longer paternity leave, members had a higher awareness of gender equality. Additionally, family members showed increased support for pro-female policies.
The research team stated, “Direct exposure to progressive social policies, such as extending men's paternity leave, weakens sexist attitudes.” They added, “Progressive social policies can be a practical and effective tool for governments to reduce harmful prejudices.”
