A hashtag calling for fathers to be given up to 10 days of leave when their child is born is making the rounds on Maltese social media.
#10DaysForDads is all about giving fathers the right to spend the first 10 days of their child’s life with the newborn.

However, the new parental right, which is being introduced in the Work Life Balance Directive being championed by Maltese MEP David Casa, has come under fire from employers as well as the GRTU and Malta Employer’s Association.

Critics have said it will just be another financial burden on employers, who already have enough to deal with. However, supporters say it would foster a better sharing of caring responsibilities between men and women, as well as being will be beneficial to the economy by playing a role in reducing the gender employment gap.

Many have come out in support of giving dads the right to spend time with their newborn children

Another PN MEP candidate, Peter Agius, came out in support of #10DaysForDads

And MEP candidate Cami Appelgren has also expressed her support for the initiative

“Oh how I wish to see all families being able to plan who takes the days..full period of days. And also an increase of days!” she said in a Facebook post.

Another woman also opened up about how important the legislation could be.

“I never understood how the subject of paternity leave is never raised when discussing gender inequality,” she asked in a post. “As things stand, women often suffer at work because they must bear much of the burden of child-raising. But people fail to realise that men also suffer by not being given any paternity leave to raise their children. And this further contributes to the gender inequality problem at work. There is a reason why fertility is declining across Europe – with the current framework, it is becoming impossible for a couple to raise two children, work full-time jobs (with no paternity leave), purchase a house etc. So why should men still only get one day of paternity leave? Moreover, why is such an obvious solution not being proposed by political parties?”

Others widely shared the hashtag, along with an accompanying slogan

Since the directive was announced, a number of Maltese organisations have also expressed their support, while unions are still split on it

While the GRTU and MEA have come out against the new directive, the U?M as well as the Forum Unions Maltin have welcomed the proposal.

Should Malta introduce 10 days of paternity leave for fathers?

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Johnathan Cilia

Johnathan is an award-winning Maltese journalist interested in social justice, politics, minority issues, music and food. Follow him at @supreofficialmt on Instagram, and send him news, food and music stories at [email protected]