In May 2000, the Icelandic Parliament unanimously passed Act No. 95/2000 on maternity and parental leave. The law introduced very radical changes to the living conditions of new parents. The law was designed to ensure that children enjoyed time with their parents and to make it easier for women and men to balance work and family life. This law was in force until a comprehensive review led to Act No. 144/2020.
This study aims to determine whether and to what extent the legislation has achieved its dual objective. Data collected through surveys among parents at four points in time over a nearly 20-year period were used to analyze changes in the participation of mothers and fathers in the care of their first child and changes in the labor market participation of mothers and fathers from the year before the child’s birth until the child reaches the age of three.
The results show that since the law came into force, fathers have increased their participation in the care of their children, and the gap between parents in terms of labor market participation and working hours has narrowed.
The study benefits Icelandic society in various ways, such as in future policy-making, but it has also attracted international attention, and the authors have reported the results worldwide. Iceland’s experience has inspired policy-making both in individual countries and within the European Union, and therefore the results of the study have also been useful internationally.
Funding
The research is funded by the Icelandic Research Fund (RANNÍS), the University of Iceland Research Fund, and the Icelandic Gender Equality Fund.
