Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg’s plans to allow couples to share maternity leave would be a major step forward for the UK and help boost the number of women in senior and boardroom positions. That’s the message from Maggie Berry, managing director of Women in Technology, the organisation dedicated to increasing the number of women entering and achieving in IT.
“The current parental leave provisions are one of the most unequal in Europe and are a key contributing factor to the very low number of women that we see in boardrooms today” says Maggie Berry. “The majority of women that do reach the top either do not have families or have partners who stay at home, but in 2011 we shouldn’t have to choose between children and a career.”
“I once heard a woman say ‘In Sweden a guy can take up to one and a half years of paternity leave – there’s no discussion about who’s at home with the kids; you both are’ and I think that mentality is one that we need to work towards. Women are a valuable asset to the business world but without drastic measures we’re not going to see much of a change. Allowing men and women to share maternity leave would mean neither would have to sacrifice their career, and would hopefully encourage employers to consider more flexible working options for their workforce.”
