UNAIDS has revised its internal adoption and paternity leave policy and introduced new rules on surrogacy leave, marking an important step in ensuring a more inclusive working environment.
The revised policy includes the extension of adoption leave from eight to 16–18 weeks, depending on the number of children being adopted, the extension of paternity leave from four to 16 weeks and the introduction of 16 weeks of leave for a single birth by surrogacy and 18 weeks for multiple births by surrogacy.
The new policy is the result of concerted advocacy efforts by the UNAIDS Secretariat Staff Association (USSA), in collaboration with UNAIDS management, and is one of the commitments made in the recently launched UNAIDS Gender Action Plan 2018–2023.
“The revised policy will allow fathers to spend more time with their families at a critical stage in life,” said a staff member who will soon become a father. “Men can and have to play an important role in childcare and actively challenge gender norms that pass most responsibility for childcare onto women,” he said.
Adopting a more equitable policy framework that supports caregiving by both men and women can help in overturning perceptions that women of childbearing age are potentially too expensive or an absentee risk when compared with similarly qualified men.
“The UNAIDS Secretariat Staff Association welcomes this important milestone in our internal policy framework, which will not only bring direct benefits to staff who will become parents, but to all staff, as it challenges pervasive gender norms,” said Pauliina Nykanen-Rettaroli, USSA Chair.
The introduction of specific leave for births by surrogacy reflects UNAIDS’ commitment to diversity. “It doesn´t make a difference if you become a parent by natural birth, adoption or surrogacy; you still become a parent and should be entitled to the same benefits,” said a staff member. “This policy reflects the organization’s commitment to be as inclusive as possible and walk the talk of what it advocates for, which is dignity and respect for all,” she added.
“In our new Gender Action Plan, we committed to adopting a single parental leave policy and I am proud that UNAIDS has now delivered on this. All parents should be supported to spend time with their children. By supporting this, UNAIDS is contributing to shifting the burden of care and advancing gender equality,” said Gunilla Carlsson, UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director, Management and Governance.
