Expanding Parental Rights in Argentina: A Step Toward Gender Equality and Inclusion

Argentina’s parental benefits system is more inclusive than many in Latin America but faces significant gaps in accessibility, financial support, and childcare availability, particularly for informal workers. Strengthening leave policies, expanding paternity rights, and improving childcare infrastructure could enhance gender equality and workforce participation.

A recent discussion paper published by the World Bank, in collaboration with MBC MORI and UNICEF, explores the effectiveness of Argentina’s parental benefits system, evaluating its role in fostering gender equality, labor force participation, and childcare accessibility. While Argentina’s framework is more inclusive than many in the Latin American and Caribbean region, disparities persist, particularly between formal and informal workers. The study, based on desk research and a survey of 832 urban Argentinians, highlights the gaps in coverage, awareness, and accessibility that hinder the full potential of these policies. The findings emphasize the need for targeted reforms to improve parental leave provisions, enhance financial support, and expand childcare services to create a more equitable and sustainable system.

The Glaring Gender Gap in Workforce Participation

Argentina faces significant challenges in gender equality in employment, with women’s labor force participation substantially lower than men’s, particularly during childbearing years. While maternity leave and financial support mechanisms exist, their implementation is uneven and highly dependent on employment status. The study finds that formal-sector employees have greater access to parental leave and financial support, while informal workers often lack employer-backed protections. This division creates barriers to parental benefits for nearly half of Argentina’s workforce, particularly for women, who are more likely to work in the informal sector. Despite some government initiatives aimed at improving accessibility, complex eligibility rules, inadequate leave durations, and insufficient childcare services continue to hinder women’s ability to remain in or reenter the workforce after childbirth.

Parental Leave: A Tale of Unequal Access

The study found that maternity leave in Argentina falls short of international standards, with 90 days for private-sector workers and 100 days for public-sector employees, compared to the ILO-recommended 14 weeks. Paternity leave remains extremely limited, with only two days granted to private-sector employees, while some provinces offer slightly longer leave periods for public-sector workers. However, fathers reported taking an average of 9.5 days off, suggesting some level of workplace flexibility beyond statutory requirements.

For informal workers, there is no legal entitlement to parental leave, though some may access non-contributory financial benefits through social programs. The survey found that 90% of formal-sector mothers took maternity leave, with an average salary replacement of 79%, while only 68% of informal mothers took leave, often with little or no financial support. Despite facing significant financial strain, informal workers still take time off, underscoring the urgent need for policy interventions to provide income security and leave protection for this group.

Financial Support and Childcare: Critical Gaps Remain

Argentina offers several financial benefits, including pregnancy allowances, maternity leave payments, and child allowances. However, disparities persist in both access and adequacy, with formal workers receiving higher income replacement. The maternity allowance covers 100% of salary, but only for those who contribute to social security, while informal workers rely on lower, conditional benefits.

The availability of affordable childcare is another major challenge. While enrollment rates for children aged four and above are high, only 2% of infants and 11.1% of two-year-olds are enrolled in early childhood care services. A 2022 law mandates workplaces with over 100 employees to provide childcare, but only a small percentage of firms meet this criterion, limiting its impact. Parents, especially working mothers, struggle with childcare affordability and accessibility, leading many to reduce work hours or leave the workforce entirely. The survey found that 36% of mothers and 27% of fathers wished to change their childcare arrangements, with most seeking better institutional care and a more balanced division of responsibilities between parents.

Shifting Mindsets: The Role of Fathers in Childcare

One of the study’s most striking findings is the gap between perception and reality in parental roles. Mothers report handling 58-69% of childcare responsibilities for children under three, while fathers estimate their contribution at 36%, suggesting that men may significantly underestimate women’s childcare workload. This mismatch highlights the deeply ingrained societal norms that reinforce the traditional view of women as primary caregivers.

Encouraging greater paternal involvement is crucial for achieving gender equality in both the home and workplace. Expanding paternity leave and integrating men into parental support policies would help normalize shared childcare responsibilities. Countries such as Germany, Sweden, and Canada have successfully implemented policies incentivizing fathers to take parental leave, which in turn has boosted female workforce participation. Argentina could benefit from a similar shift, ensuring that men are not just encouraged, but expected to take on a more active role in parenting.

A Roadmap for Reform: Strengthening Parental Benefits

The study outlines several policy recommendations to make Argentina’s parental benefits system more effective, inclusive, and sustainable. Extending maternity leave to at least 14 weeks and incrementally increasing paternity leave would promote gender equality in childcare. Financing paternity leave through social security contributions—rather than requiring employers to cover the cost—would encourage more fathers to take leave and reduce hiring biases against women.

Simplifying and integrating income support programs is another critical step. The current system is fragmented, with multiple benefits governed by different eligibility criteria. Establishing a universal parental benefit with a base level of support for all parents, supplemented by income-based contributions, would improve accessibility and reduce administrative complexity. Additionally, expanding access to quality childcare by introducing clearer funding mechanisms for both public and private providers would help working parents balance their professional and caregiving responsibilities.

Strengthening monitoring and reporting mechanisms would enhance transparency and provide crucial data to assess the impact of parental policies. The study also recommends engaging men as active stakeholders in parental benefits policy discussions, helping to shift societal perceptions around childcare responsibilities.

Argentina’s parental benefits system is stronger than many in Latin America, but gaps in accessibility, sustainability, and gender equity remain. By adopting a holistic, evidence-based approach, the government can strengthen support systems for all working parents, regardless of employment type. Expanding leave policies, improving financial assistance, and investing in childcare infrastructure would significantly enhance gender equality, workforce participation, and economic growth. If these reforms are implemented effectively, Argentina could serve as a model for other developing nations striving to balance parental responsibilities with economic sustainability.