While America fights over maternity leave, The Economist talks up paternity leave

The Economist touts the benefits of paternity leave

(Image credit: The Economist/YouTube)

The U.S. is the only country other than Papua New Guinea that doesn't guarantee women maternity leave after they have a baby — a point John Oliver used to shame America a few weeks ago. The Economist goes a step further and looks at the benefits of allowing new fathers to take a few weeks off, too. In Denmark, for instance, 90 percent of dads take more than two weeks off after the birth of a child, for example, and everyone seems to benefit.

In one study, fathers who took paternity leave "were more likely to feed, dress, bathe, and play with their child long after the period of leave had ended," The Economist notes in the video below, and their kids — especially daughters — did better in school, up through at least high school. The third beneficiary of paternity leave? "Women's careers." Not persuaded? Watch below. —Peter Weber

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.