Other countries about maternity benefits:

More than 120 countries around the world provide paid maternity leave and health benefits by
law, including most industrialized nations except Australia, New Zealand and the United States.

In many countries, women's job income is vital for the survival of the family, the report says. It
finds that women provide the main source of income in some 30 per cent of all households
worldwide. In Europe, 59 per cent of working women supply half or more of their family's
household income. In the United States, the figure is slightly less, 55 per cent of working
women. In India alone, an estimated 60 million people live in households maintained only by
women. In just over 10 years, 80 per cent of all women in industrialized countries and 70 per
cent globally, will be working outside the home throughout their child-bearing years.

The countries that provide the most paid maternity leave by law include: the Czech Republic –
28 weeks; Hungary – 24 weeks; Italy – 5 months; Canada – 17 weeks; Spain and Romania – 16
weeks each. Denmark, Norway, and Sweden all provide extensive paid leave which may be
taken by either parent, although a portion is reserved for the mother.

In the United States, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993 provided a total of 12
work weeks of unpaid leave during any 12-month period for the birth of a child and the care of
the newborn. FMLA applies only to workers in companies with 50 or more workers.

Some individual US states and possessions, however, do provide for paid maternity benefits,
including Rhode Island, Hawaii, New Jersey, California, New York and Puerto Rico.

Maternity Leave: The ILO created the first global standard which calls for a minimum 12-week
leave although a 14-week leave is recommended. In countries which provide cash benefits
through social security, the ILO standard says that a woman should be paid at a rate of not less
than two-thirds of her previous insured earnings, with full health benefits.

Currently, 119 countries meet the ILO standard of 12 weeks with 62 of those countries providing
for 14 weeks or more. Just 31 countries mandate a maternity leave of less than 12 weeks.

chart of countries providing maternity benefits:

Maternity Leave Around the World

AFRICA
Country Length of leaves % Of Wages Who Pays?    
Algeria 14 weeks 100 Social Security
Angola 90 days 100 Employer
Benin 14 weeks 100 Social Security
Botswana 12 weeks 25 Employer
Burkina Faso 14 weeks 100 S.S. & Employer
Burundi 12 weeks 50 Employer
Cameroon 14 weeks 100 Social Security
Central African Rep. 14 weeks 50 Social Security
Chad 14 weeks 50 Social Security
Comoros 14 weeks 100 Employer
50% Employer /
Congo 15 weeks 100
50% S.S.
Côte d'Ivoire 14 weeks 100 Social Security
Dem. Rep. of the
14 weeks 67 Employer
Congo
50 (100% for
Djibouti 14 weeks Employer / S.S.
public employees)
Egypt 50 days 100 S.S. / Employer
Equatorial Guinea 12 weeks 75 Social Security
Ethiopia 90 days 100 Employer
Gabon 14 weeks 100 Social Security
The Gambia 12 weeks 100 Employer
Ghana 12 weeks 50 Employer
50% Employer /
Guinea 14 weeks 100
50% S.S.
Guinea-Bissau 60 days 100 Employer / S.S.
Kenya 2 months 100 Employer
Lesotho 12 weeks 0  
Libyan Arab
50 days 50 Employer
Jamahiriya
50% Employer /
Madagascar 14 weeks 100
50% S.S.
Mali 14 weeks 100 Social Security
Mauritania 14 weeks 100 Social Security
Mauritius 12 weeks 100 Employer
Morocco 12 weeks 100 Social Security
Mozambique 60 days 100 Employer
Namibia 12 weeks as prescribed Social Security
Niger 14 weeks 50 Social Security
Nigeria 12 weeks 50 Employer
Rwanda 12 weeks 67 Employer
Sao Tome/Principe 70 days 100 for 60 days Social Security
Senegal 14 weeks 100 Social Security
flat rate for 10
Seychelles 14 weeks Social Security
weeks
Somalia 14 weeks 50 Employer
Unemployment
South Africa 12 weeks 45
Insurance
Sudan 8 weeks 100 Employer
Swaziland 12 weeks 0  
Tanzania 12 weeks 100 Employer
50% Employer /
Togo 14 weeks 100
50% S.S.
Tunisia 30 days 67 Social Security
100 for one
Uganda 8 weeks Employer
month
Zambia 12 weeks 100 Employer
Zimbabwe 90 days 60/75 Employer
       
AMERICAS      
       
S.S. and possible
Antigua/Barbuda 13 weeks 60 employer
supplement
Argentina 90 days 100 Social Security
40% Employer /
Bahamas 8 weeks 100
60% S.S.
Barbados 12 weeks 100 Social Security
Belize 12 weeks 80 Social Security
100 of nat'l
minimum wage +
Bolivia 60 days 70% of wages Social Security
above minimum
wage
Brazil 120 days 100 Social Security
Unemployment
Canada 17-18 weeks 55 for 15 weeks
Insurance
Chile 18 weeks 100 Social Security
Colombia 12 weeks 100 Social Security
50% Employer /
Costa Rica 4 months 100
50% S.S.
Cuba 18 weeks 100 Social Security
Dominica 12 weeks 60 S.S. / Employer
50% Employer /
Dominican Republic 12 weeks 100
50% S.S.
25% Employer /
Ecuador 12 weeks 100
75% S.S.
El Salvador 12 weeks 75 Social Security
100 (2 months),
Grenada 3 months 60% for 3rd S.S. / Employer
month
33% Employer /
Guatemala 12 weeks 100
67% S.S.
Guyana 13 weeks 70 Social Security
Haiti 12 weeks 100 for 6 weeks Employer
33% Employer /
Honduras 10 weeks 100 for 84 days
67% S.S.
Jamaica 12 weeks 100 for 8 weeks Employer
Mexico 12 weeks 100 Social Security
Nicaragua 12 weeks 60 Social Security
Panama 14 weeks 100 Social Security
Paraguay 12 weeks 50 for 9 weeks Social Security
Peru 90 days 100 Social Security
Saint Lucia 13 weeks 65 Social Security
Trinidad/Tobago 13 weeks 60-100 S.S./Employer
United States 12 weeks 0  
Uruguay 12 weeks 100 Social Security
Venezuela 18 weeks 100 Social Security
       
ASIA/PACIFIC      
       
Afghanistan 90 days 100 Employer
Australia 1 year 0  
Bahrain 45 days 100 Employer
Bangladesh 12 weeks 100 Employer
Cambodia 90 days 50 Employer
China 90 days 100 Employer
Fiji 84 days Flat rate Employer
India 12 weeks 100 Employer / S.S.
Indonesia 3 months 100 Employer
Iran 90 days 66.7 for 16 weeks Social Security
Iraq 62 days 100 Social Security
Social Security or
Japan 14 weeks 60
health insurance
Jordan 10 weeks 100 Employer
Korea, Republic of 60 days 100 Employer
Kuwait 70 days 100 Employer
Laos 90 days 100 Social Security
Lebanon 40 days 100 Employer
Malaysia 60 days 100 Employer
Mongolia 101 days    
Myanmar 12 weeks 66.7 Social Security
Nepal 52 days 100 Employer
New Zealand 14 weeks 0  
Pakistan 12 weeks 100 Employer
Papua New Guinea 6 weeks 0  
Philippines 60 days 100 Social Security
100 for civil
Qatar 40-60 days Agency concerned
servants
Saudi Arabia 10 weeks 50 or 100 Employer
Singapore 8 weeks 100 Employer
Solomon Islands 12 weeks 25 Employer
Sri Lanka 12 weeks 100 Employer
Syria 75 days 100 Employer
100 for 45 days Employer for 45
Thailand 90 days then 50% for 15 days, then Social
days Security
United Arab
45 days 100 Employer
Emirates
Viet Nam 4-6 months 100 Social Security
Yemen 60 days 100 Employer
       
EUROPE      
Austria 16 weeks 100 Social Security
Belarus 126 days 100 Social Security
82 for 30 days,
Belgium 15 weeks Social Security
75%* thereafter
Bulgaria 120-180 days 100 Social Security
Cyprus 16 weeks 75 Social Security
100* 10 more
weeks may be
Denmark 18 weeks Social Security
taken by either
parent
Finland 105 days 80 Social Security
France 16-26 weeks 100 Social Security
 S.S.to ceiling;
Germany 14 weeks 100 employer pays
difference
Greece 16 weeks 75 Social Security
Hungary 24 weeks 100 Social Security
Iceland 2 months Flat rate Social Security
Ireland 14 weeks 70* or fixed rate Social Security
Israel 12 weeks 75* Social Security
Italy 5 months 80 Social Security
Liechtenstein 8 weeks 80 Social Security
Luxembourg 16 weeks 100* Social Security
Malta 13 weeks 100 Social Security
Netherlands 16 weeks 100 Social Security
100, and 26 extra
Norway 18 weeks paid weeks by Social Security
either parent
Poland 16-18 weeks 100 Social Security
Portugal 98 days 100 Social Security
Romania 112 days 50-94 Social Security
Russia 140 days 100 Social Security
Spain 16 weeks 100 Social Security
450 days paid
parental leave:
Sweden 14 weeks Social Security
75%, 360 days;
90 days, flat rate
Switzerland 8 weeks 100 Employer
Turkey 12 weeks 66.7 Social Security
Ukraine 126 days 100 Social Security
90 for 6 weeks,
United Kingdom 14-18 weeks Social Security
flat rate after

reference link: Reference link

Maternity benefits in our country:
Governmental sectors: Mothers will get maternity leave up to six months of baby's age
while joining new government jobs.
An amendment with such provision was made to the Bangladesh Service Rules (Part-1),
according to a gazette notification released today.
According to the amendment to the law, where are female government servants applies for a
maternity leave, the authority mentioned in rule 149 or, rule 150, as the case may be, shall grant
such leave for a period of six months from the date of commencement of the leave or her
confinement for the purpose of delivery, whoever is earlier.

Provided that if a woman enters into government service at her first appointment with a child less
than six months of age and applies for maternity leave, such leave shall be granted for a period
which may be extended up to the date until the child attains its age of six months.

reference : Reference link

Garments workers: It is very disappointing to learn that many of our garment workers still
do not get maternity leave with full pay and other benefits. And that working conditions in RMG
factories are quite unfavorable to the female workers who are expecting. There is hardly any
scope for them to sit or rest, let alone have the necessary medical check-ups done in the
healthcare facilities inside the factories. Besides, the shoddy working conditions and a lack of
hygiene in the factories are affecting women workers' health in general.

Although the labor law in Bangladesh entitles workers to a 16-week maternity leave with full
pay, a recent study has found that only 28.7 percent of the workers get maternity leave for four
months. Also, the general practice in factories is to give workers the entire 16 weeks' salary when
they re-join office after childbirth which is a violation of the labour law. The recently proposed
Bangladesh Labor Law entitles workers to eight-weeks of maternity leave and other benefits
before they go on leave. And although re-joining work two months after childbirth is harmful for
both the mother and the child, the majority of workers as well as the employers are not even
aware of the need for post-natal care. Then there are also cases of terminating workers during
pregnancy.

reference: reference link