Paid family leave allows parents to bond with their children while supporting their development, health and emotional well-being. Countries with generous family leave policies also report higher workforce retention and gender equality.

As a result, paid leave shouldn’t be limited to new mothers, experts argue. Psychologist Darby Saxbe’s research on “dad brain” is creating awareness that fatherhood deserves far more support than society currently affords it. “Understanding the profound neurobiological changes of fatherhood and knowing how transformative this period can be helps us argue that opportunities such as protected time to bond are highly valuable — and urgently needed,” Saxbe says.

At a time of declining birth rates, family leave can also influence family planning. “If raising that first child was easier with government support, people might be more likely to have a second,” says sociologist Jennifer Hook. “The most effective way of moving the needle on fertility is to help people follow through on their intentions.”

Here we look at how family leave policies vary widely around the world. —T.W.

Canada

Parents share up to 18 months of leave, receiving 55% of pay for the first year.

China

Mandatory 98 day paid maternity leave; many provinces offer 158-day extensions. Paternity leave: 15 days paid.

Germany

Parents receive 14 weeks of fully paid leave, but can share up to three years of leave, partially paid.

Mexico

Mothers receive 100% of their salary for six weeks before and six weeks after the birth.

Norway

49 weeks of fully paid parental leave. Each parent gets a set quota to encourage shared caregiving, and the rest can be split however they choose.

United Kingdom

Parents can share up to 50 weeks total family leave, with 37 weeks paid at a weekly flat amount.

United States

No federally mandated family leave. Most states also offer no paid family leave. However, California operates an insurance program offering 70% to 90% of pay for up to eight weeks, and job protection for up to 12 weeks.