Increasing investment in care services would create 25.8 million jobs in Latin America

The International Labor Organization (ILO) points out the need to expand coverage of maternity leave in the region.

Increasing investment in care services would create 25.8 million jobs in Latin America

The International Labor Organization (ILO) points out the need to expand coverage of maternity leave in the region

MADRID, 13 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) -

Investing in child care services or universalizing interruptions for breastfeeding or maternity leave could generate more than 25.8 million jobs in Latin America and the Caribbean, according to the study 'Care at work in Latin America Latin America and the Caribbean: Invest in leave and care services for greater equality in the world of work', prepared by the Regional Office of the International Labor Organization (ILO).

A global simulation carried out by the ILO in 82 countries around the world, released at the beginning of the year, and which included Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico and Peru, estimated that investing in these aspects would generate millions of direct and indirect, of which 90% would be formal and 80% would be carried out by women.

In the words of the author of the report, Larraitz Lexartza, despite the progress made in the last decade, the countries of the region face "important challenges" in the field of care. "The pandemic has further evidenced the centrality of care and the urgency of consolidating and expanding the efforts made," she added.

Of the 32 countries in the Latin American region, 22 do not establish measures to protect pregnant and lactating women from night work, and ten do not have any protection against "strenuous, dangerous, unhealthy, toxic and harmful" work. .

In addition, in 12 countries women do not have the right to paid breastfeeding breaks and, in the twenty that do recognize it, their financing is the responsibility of employers. Among the countries that establish this right, seven do not stipulate the period for which it can be enjoyed

Likewise, although all the countries analyzed recognize the right to maternity leave, there are "considerable" gaps with respect to international standards in terms of duration, financial benefits and financing, since in 17 countries the duration of the leaves is of less than 14 weeks, the minimum period stipulated in the ILO Convention number 183.

"In four countries, the pecuniary benefit during the leave represents less than two thirds of the previous income, and in one country the financing of the benefits is still the responsibility of the employer," explained the ILO regional office.

As for paternity leave, twelve countries still do not recognize this right. Among those who do have this type of permit, ten have a duration of five days or less.

In turn, in most countries of the region there is a considerable time lag between the end of licenses for the care of newborns and the start of statutory universal child care services or the start of compulsory primary school .

At that time, families lack "the necessary support" for the care of their daughters and sons. In 23 of the 29 countries for which information is available, the gaps range from 2.7 years to 6.7 years.

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