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WATCH: Fathers Should Be Granted Extended Paternity Leave, Bernard Grech Urges Amidst ‘Unprecedented’ Reforms

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Fathers in Malta would be given extended paid paternity leave if the Nationalist Party was elected to government, with families at the focus of new policies, PN leader Bernard Grech said today.

Addressing an audience during an event in Għargħur, Grech said the “substantial” extension is just one of a raft of “unprecedented” reforms he and his party have been working on.

“We want men and women who are happy at their workplace, who can give their all to their employers and at the same time be assured they can spend time with their family, raising their children and being there for them,” Grech said.

Part of the PN’s proposal would see both mother and father given a portion of their leave at the same time, in the first few weeks after the baby is born, so that the father can help assist the mother during this critical time.

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Maltese MEP David Casa had pushed for paternity leave for fathers to be increased to ten days as part of an EU directive – but this hasn’t been implemented in Malta yet, with the island having until August 2022 to make it happen.

Currently, Maltese law grants mothers 18 weeks of maternity leave with fathers or other partners given just one day of birth leave.

“While I cannot say right now by how much paternity leave will be extended to presently, I can promise you that it’s going to be much more than it is now,” Grech said.  “Families in all of their forms must be strengthened because it is the crux of where people are nurtured and developed.”

What do you make of the PN’s proposal?

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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]

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