2025-03-09-世界银行-尼泊尔父母福利的真实覆盖率（英）_78页_1mb

Summary of De Jure and De Facto Coverage of Parental Benefits in Nepal

Introduction and Background

• Women make up nearly half of Nepal's young working-age population but face lower labor force participation compared to men, often due to informal employment, inadequate social protection, and childcare responsibilities.
• Childcare duties primarily fall on women, limiting their employment opportunities and contributing to the gender gap in the workforce.
• Nepal's parental benefits framework requires expansion to include all parents (men and women) and all employment types (formal and informal) for better gender equality and work-life balance.

Key Findings: De Jure Coverage

• Parental Leave: Legislated at 98 days for maternity and 15 days for paternity leave, mostly for formal sector workers. Coverage is based on payroll contributions, with some state funding.
• Income Replacement: Employers cover first 60 days of maternity leave; Social Security Fund (SSF) covers the remaining 38 days at 60% of base salary.
• Medical Benefits: SSF provides medical coverage, child allowances, and breastfeeding support.
• Financing: High contribution rates (31% for formal, 20.37% for informal) and mandatory enrollment create affordability challenges, with low awareness and compliance.

De Facto Coverage and Trends

• Formal Sector: Awareness and use of SSF benefits low (53% enrolled at birth of child); 70% of parents took leave, but duration and income replacement often lower than legal standards.
• Informal Sector: No access to formal parental benefits; 56% of working parents took earnings-replacement during leave; 28% borrowed money or reduced work hours due to lack of support.
• Gender Differences: Women more affected by childbirth, reducing employment; men less likely to take leave and face fewer labor market impacts.
• Social Norms: Strong societal beliefs about women's primary role in childcare hinder inclusive policies.

Recommendations and Conclusions

• Improve awareness and compliance of formal sector workers with existing laws.
• Reduce contribution requirements for SSF schemes and enhance outreach for informal workers.
• Strengthen childbirth-related norms and promote fathers' involvement to achieve gender equality.
• Ensure comprehensive policy reforms to support all parents, particularly in informal employment.

Gender Equality Implications

• Parental benefits laws are insufficient without addressing informal sector gaps and societal biases; inclusive frameworks can boost women's labor participation while improving childcare access for all.