Maternity, paternity, and parental leave in Mexico: comparative analysis, effects on labor equity, and policy proposals
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19488334Keywords:
parental leave; shared caregiving responsibility; gender equality; labor policies; labor market; Mexico; OECD.Abstract
This study analyzed and compared maternity, paternity, and parental leave in Mexico against international best practices, aiming to identify strengths and gaps and to propose reforms that enhance shared caregiving responsibility and gender equity in the labor market. A qualitative documentary methodology with a comparative approach was applied, reviewing academic literature published between 2013 and 2025, national legislation, and databases from international organizations such as the OECD, ILO, ECLAC, and UN Women. The review strategy followed a systematic process inspired by the PRISMA flow framework.
Findings reveal that Mexico provides 12 weeks of fully paid maternity leave for formally insured workers, compared to an OECD average of 17.8 weeks, and only 5 days of paternity leave paid by employers, far below the OECD average of 9.3 weeks. The absence of a federal parental leave scheme contributes to a female labor force participation rate of 51.2% versus 81.3% for men, highlighting significant gaps in co-responsibility and labor equity.
Based on this evidence, the article proposes legislative reforms to extend paternity leave, create a universal and co-responsible parental leave system, strengthen social security coverage for informal workers, and articulate these measures with return-to-work policies, regulated teleworking, and accessible childcare services to promote equity and labor participation.
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