Countries once overlooked in global labour rankings are now setting bold new standards for paternity leave, offering fathers time to bond with their newborns and share caregiving responsibilities from day one.

According to the IRIS Global Parental Leave Index , Peru, Laos, Rwanda, Comoros, and Benin lead the way, granting some of the world’s longest paid paternity leaves among developing nations.

Peru tops the list with 21 weeks, followed by Laos with 17 weeks, Rwanda with 16, Comoros with 15, and Benin offering 12 weeks

These numbers stand out in a world where the average paid paternity leave remains under two weeks, and only about 53% of countries legally guarantee fathers any paid time off at all.

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) notes that leave policies specifically designed for fathers can be a game changer in reducing gender inequality at work and home, improving child well-being, and reshaping social norms around caregiving

In countries like Rwanda, where gender equality is part of national development goals, expanding paternity leave reflects a deeper social commitment. Similarly, Peru’s 21-week provision—the highest in the Global South—signals that progressive family policy is not the preserve of wealthy nations.

In Laos, Comoros, and Benin, these reforms also highlight how smaller economies are prioritizing family welfare and gender balance despite limited resources.

Globally, the push for longer parental leave gained momentum during and after the COVID-19 pandemic , as workplaces grappled with new norms around remote work and caregiving.

In many high-income countries, cultural and professional barriers still limit men’s participation in parental leave. But in the Global South, legal reforms are moving faster than societal skepticism, showing that ambition, not affluence, drives change.

On October 3, 2025, South Africa’s Constitutional Court ruled that the country’s existing parental leave laws are unconstitutional. Under the old regime, new moms were entitled to four months of maternity leave, while fathers got just 10 days of paternity leave.

The Court found that this disparity was discriminatory and violated principles of equality and human dignity.

As an interim remedy, the Court ordered that both parents may now share a total of four months and 10 days of parental leave. That means couples can divide the time however they choose, either sequentially, concurrently, or in other combinations.

Parliament has been given 36 months to amend the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA) and related laws to align with the constitutional directive.

South Africa’s move joins a growing list of countries in the Global South that are already giving fathers’ leave entitlements.

In Peru, for example, fathers are entitled to 21 weeks of paid paternity leave, while in Laos, paternity leave is legally 17 weeks. In Benin, the statutory paternity leave is 12 weeks of paid leave. Rwanda continues with 16 weeks, and Comoros at 15 weeks.