MADRID (AFP) – The number of men taking paternity leave in football-mad Spain rose during the 2022 World Cup, according to a study published on Thursday, suggesting watching matches was their main motive for taking time off.
Since 2021 both mothers and fathers in Spain are entitled to 16 weeks paid leave which can be taken in several spells during the first 12 months after a birth.
During the 2022 World Cup between November 20 and December 18 in Qatar there was “a daily excess of more than 1,000 men on paternity leave” registered with authorities compared to the previous and following years, according to a study by the Barcelona School of Economics.
There was no comparable rise in maternity leave during this period, or in paternity leave among self-employed workers who have a more flexible schedule, added the study titled Fathers’ Time-Use While on Paternity Leave: Childcare or Leisure?
“We interpret these results as direct evidence that (at least a fraction of) fathers take advantage of their paternity leave spells for activities unrelated to childcare,” the paper by three economists said.
“This may imply that these types of benefits are only partially effective at increasing gender balance in unpaid care work, and suggest that additional policies may be needed to effectively increase men’s contribution to childcare.”
Football is wildly popular in Spain, which has four daily newspapers dedicated to the sport. Spain won the World Cup in 2010 and are reigning European Champions.
