Paternity Leave and Gender Justice Breaking the Caregiver Stereotype in Modern India

This blog discusses the legal and social discrepancies between maternity and paternity leave policies in India and how they reinforce traditional patriarchal roles. While India offers a progressive 26-week paid maternity leave regime for women, statutory paternity leave remains entirely absent for the private sector and highly limited for government workers. The author argues that comprehensive paternity leave is necessary for true gender justice, as it splits domestic burdens, improves child welfare, and diminishes the workplace career disadvantages women face due to the "primary caregiver" stereotype.