The paternity leave will be extended to four weeks

Two days ago, the Congress of Deputies unanimously approved the proposal of the CIU to speed up the procedures so that the current paternity leave in case of birth, adoption or reception of 13 days, be extended to four weeks.

CIU Equality spokeswoman Mercé Pigem said: "It's about giving new impetus to families and the involvement of men in the care of their children."

The current paternity leave exists since March 2007, implemented by the PSOE through the Equality Law. The four-week extension appears as the objective of the legislature in the electoral program and therefore it is a fact that will arrive sooner or later.

With this vote it is tried that this measure arrives before, since all the spokesmen agreed in something: 13 days is a very insufficient term so that "Parents are involved in the co-responsibility of the care of sons and daughters."

As a father, I am very happy with this measure that comes from the struggle for Equality, however I proclaim myself as today a fighter of inequality.

Yes, 13 days is a long enough time for a parent to get involved, we agree, but 16 weeks or 3 and a half months, as we want to quantify it, it is an even more insufficient time for a mother to care for and feed her child as recommended by official health agencies and as a baby deserves and needs.