Recommendation 23

The Government’s review should have gender equality at its heart. Countries which provide a substantial period of well-paid leave for fathers and other parents have on average a four-percentage point smaller gender pay gap than those that allow less than six weeks. Increasing women’s labour market participation and earnings and reducing the gender gap pay should be key long-term objectives. Progress must be monitored at the household level, including by hours spent on unpaid caring and work in the home by gender; women’s rates of return to work after births; and take up of paid and unpaid parental leave by gender. The Government must ensure data on these measures are transparently available. (Recommendation, Paragraph 125) 61