DISPARITIES IN ACCESS TO PAID LEAVE AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS FOR GENDER INEQUALITY: THE CASE OF SOUTH AFRICA

Muna Ahamd Shifa, Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit (SALDRU)
Jody Heymann, McGill University

Access to paid leave, as part of social protection, is crucial for minimising health and economic disparities. In the absence of paid leave, women and low-income workers are more likely to forego necessary leave due to a lack of resources to fall back on. There is little research on inequalities in access to paid leave and its determinants in developing countries context. In this study, we examine inequalities in access to paid leave in South Africa and its implications for gender inequality. Our research reveals considerable inequalities in access to paid leave in South Africa based on employment contract type, UIF contributions, wage, and educational level. The findings underline the importance of better labour market and social safety net policy formulation and implementation. That is, because maternity/paternity leave is related to UIF, and there are significant discrepancies in who is eligible for UIF contributions. This is important considering that women and Black Africans are concentrated in industries that record the most violations in terms of access to paid leave and other labour regulations.

Keywords: Gender Dynamics, Inequality, Disadvantage and Discrimination

See paper.