The House women's empowerment committee yesterday agreed to push for extending maternity leave from 98 to 120 days, and for 15 days of paternal leave in private companies.
Panel chairman, Deputy Prime Minister Jurin Laksanawisit, said the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, as well as 27 private organisations were in favour of introducing the leave periods which are currently only being offered to governmental employees. Paternity leave is necessary to boost the joint parental care of newborns, he said.
The ministry and the 27 private organisations have declared their intention to ensure adequate parental leave by issuing their own leave regulations on top of those covered under labour protection laws.
Mr Jurin said the 15 days of paternity leave can be staggered and the increase of women's leave days has long been an important issue because newborns should be breastfed for at least six months and an extension would cover four of those months.
"The new measure will help female employees fulfil their roles at home and at work better," he said.
He said the ministry will encourage other organisations to join the campaign until the new leave periods can be enshrined in law.
In the meantime, he suggested private companies compensate for the short leave periods they currently offer mothers by providing facilities where their children can be looked after and breastfed when mums return to work.
Both parents being able to devote time to caring for newborns will decrease the chances of one of them having to give up work because they are unable to juggle a career and their parental duties, the deputy prime minister said. Men and women should be jointly responsible for raising their children and women should not be discriminated against for wanting a child, he added.