The World Economic Forum conducted a survey of national policies affecting female labour force participation between 2011 and 2013 in nearly 80 countries. Results regarding the use of these policies, including the duration and provider of maternity, paternity and shares leave, childcare assistance and taxation system, are summarized below. Further details of the results can be found in Appendix E of the Global Gender Gap Report 2013.

Duration and provider of maternity, paternity and shared leave

In Asia and the Pacific, the average duration of maternity leave is around 18 weeks, with Australia offering over 50 weeks of maternity leave. In Europe and Central Asia, the average is around 24 weeks of maternity leave. In the Middle East as well as North America, the average is at around 18 weeks of maternity leave, with Oman offering over 50 weeks of maternity leave. In Sub-Saharan Africa, the average is at around 13 weeks of maternity leave. Comparing maternity leave between income groups, high-income economies offer, on average, 19 weeks of maternity leave and upper-middle income countries offer 20 weeks of maternity leave. Both groupings show high variation across countries. The pool of countries in the other two income groups is smaller. Among lower-middle income countries, the Philippines offers less than 10 weeks while Georgia offers over 60 weeks of maternity leave. Low-income economies offer on average 13 weeks of maternity leave. Paternity leave across countries, regions and income groups also varies greatly. In Asia and the Pacific the countries with the longest paternity leave are Australia and New Zealand; in Europe and Central Asia, United Kingdom and Slovenia; in Latin America and the Caribbean, Uruguay, Colombia and Ecuador; and in Sub-Saharan Africa, Ethiopia, Zambia and Mauritius.

The benefits offered during maternity, paternity and shared leave are usually provided by social security, insurance, the employer or some combination. In high-income economies, maternity leave benefits are provided by Social Security/Insurance (66%), Employer and Social Security/insurance (17%) and Employer (17%). Paternity leave benefits are provided by Social Security/Insurance (59%), Employer and Social Security/insurance (23%) and Employer (18%). Shared leave benefits are provided by Social Security/ Insurance (73%), Employer (9%) and Employer and Social Security (18%). In upper-middle income economies, maternity leave benefits are provided by Social Security/Insurance (50%), Employer and Social Security/insurance (23%) and Employer (27%). Paternity leave benefits are evenly distributed (one-third each) across Social Security /insurance, Employer and Social Security/insurance, and Employer, among the countries covered. Shared leave benefits are provided by Social Security/ Insurance (54%), Employer (15%) and Employer and Social Security (31%). In lower-middle income economies, maternity leave benefits are provided by Social Security/Insurance (27%), Employer and Social Security/insurance (9%) and Employer (64%). Paternity leave benefits are provided by Employer (62%), Social Security/Insurance (25%) and Employer and Social Security /Insurance (13%). Shared leave benefits are provided by Social Security/ Insurance (25%), Employer (50%) and Employer and Social Security (25%). In low-income economies, maternity leave benefits are provided by Social Security/Insurance (50%), Employer and Social Security/insurance (17%) and Employer (33%). Paternity leave benefits are provided by Social Security/ Insurance (40%), Employer (40%) and Employer and Social Security (20%). Shared leave benefits are provided by Social Security/ Insurance (40%), Employer (40%) and Employer and Social Security (20%).

Childcare assistance

In Europe and North America, public daycare with allowance, private daycare with allowance and homecare allowance are offered equally at just over 20%. In Latin America, public daycare with allowance is close to 30%, followed by private daycare allowance at over 24% and homecare with allowance at 7%. Private daycare without allowance makes up 50% while there is no support offered for homecare with or without allowance. In Asia and the Pacific, public daycare with allowance and private daycare without allowance add up to 50%. Data for Sub-Saharan Africa is limited.

Taxation system

In Asia and Pacific region, 78% of countries that responded to the survey have individual taxation, with the exception of Malaysia offering individual and income splitting and Philippines offering both individual and joint-filling form of taxation. In Latin America and the Caribbean, 67% of the countries use individual taxation, while Brazil, Costa Rica and Uruguay offer both individual taxation and joint filling (25%) and Peru offers individual taxation and income splitting. In the Middle East and North America, Israel and Lebanon offer individual taxation. In North America, Canada offers individual taxation and the United States individual taxation and income splitting. In Sub-Saharan Africa, 50% of the countries offer individual taxation, with Botswana and Ethiopia offering individual taxation and income splitting and Mauritius offering individual taxation and joint filling. In Europe and Central Asia, 59% of countries offer individual taxation, 38% offer individual taxation and income splitting, 10% offer both individual taxation and joint filling and 3% offer joint filling. In high-income economies, 64% countries offer individual taxation and 28% individual and joint filling. Upper-middle income economies offer individual (65%), individual (17%) and joint filling and individual and income splitting (17%). Lower-middle income economies offer individual (80%) and individual and joint filling (20%). Low-income economies offer individual and joint filling (67%) and individual and income splitting (33%).