The National Commission for Women (NCW) has submitted its recommendations to the Union Government, with a focus on extending gender neutral Child Care Leave to the private sector, mandatory paid paternity leave, and five lakh crèches by 2030. The Commission submitted its recommendations to the Department of Personnel and Training, Ministry of Women and Child Development, and Ministry of Labour and Employment. Calling for maternity protection to reach women beyond the formal workforce, NCW has recommended extending maternity and childcare benefits to informal, gig and platform workers. It noted that over 90% of women workers remain outside effective coverage.
NCW has recommended transforming the existing women-centric CCL framework into gender-neutral Child Care Leave, available to either parent. The report proposes dividing the existing 730-day CCL structure equally between both working parents, with 365 days each, or allowing a common pool where both parents work in the same organisation. For children aged 0-2 years, it further proposes a 60:40 shared-care model between primary and secondary caregivers.
It has also proposed making the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana a universal and legally enforceable entitlement. The report further recommends parity in maternity benefits for biological, adoptive and commissioning mothers, including increasing leave for adoptive and commissioning mothers from 12 weeks to 26 weeks.
