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Women's legal equality: parental leave and pregnancy
What this indicator measures
This score from 0 to 100 looks at what the law provides around childbirth: paid maternity and paternity leave, coverage of benefits by the state and the prohibition of dismissing a pregnant worker. Data from the 2026 edition of “Women, Business and the Law”, which describes the written laws in force on 1 October 2025 (not their actual enforcement or uncodified customs).
How to read this?
The closer the score is to 100, the more these protections are written into law.
Ranking : ranked from highest to lowest
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186countries with data
100 /100maximum · Australia
75 /100median
0 /100minimum · Tonga
2025data year(s)
In brief
The "Women's legal equality: parental leave and pregnancy" ranking covers 186 countries and territories. Lowest value: Tonga (0 /100). Highest value: Australia (100 /100). Median: 75 /100 (data: 2025). The top 10% of countries exceed 100 /100, while the bottom 10% stay below 36.6 /100. By continent, the median is highest in Europe (100 /100) and lowest in Oceania (21.5 /100).
Median by continent
- Europe 100 /100 (40)
- South America 88.4 /100 (12)
- North America 71.5 /100 (23)
- Asia 65.3 /100 (45)
- Africa 64.3 /100 (51)
- Oceania 21.5 /100 (12)
Why this indicator matters
This score examines how the law protects working women and parents around childbirth. It helps to compare leave, how it is funded and protection against dismissal during pregnancy.
What makes this indicator vary
The rules depend on the social protection model, the sharing of costs between the state and employers, the place given to fathers and labor law reforms. Leave often evolves in stages.
Reading precautions
The score describes written laws, not their actual enforcement or workers outside the formal sector. It does not measure the exact length of leave but the presence of certain protections. Laws may change after the reference date.
Full ranking
ranked from highest to lowest
| Rank | Country | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1er | 🇦🇺 Australia | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇦🇹 Austria | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇧🇪 Belgium | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇧🇬 Bulgaria | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇨🇦 Canada | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇨🇳 China | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇨🇴 Colombia | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇨🇾 Cyprus | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇨🇿 Czechia | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇩🇪 Germany | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇩🇰 Denmark | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇪🇸 Spain | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇪🇪 Estonia | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇫🇷 France | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇬🇷 Greece | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇭🇷 Croatia | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇭🇺 Hungary | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇮🇪 Ireland | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇮🇸 Iceland | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇮🇹 Italy | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇯🇵 Japan | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇱🇹 Lithuania | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇱🇺 Luxembourg | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇱🇻 Latvia | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇲🇩 Moldova | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇲🇳 Mongolia | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇳🇴 Norway | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇵🇱 Poland | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇵🇹 Portugal | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇵🇾 Paraguay | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇷🇴 Romania | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇸🇲 San Marino | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇸🇰 Slovakia | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇸🇮 Slovenia | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇸🇨 Seychelles | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇺🇦 Ukraine | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇺🇾 Uruguay | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇻🇪 Venezuela | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 42e | 🇺🇸 United States | 96.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 43e | 🇵🇪 Peru | 92.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 43e | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 92.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 45e | 🇧🇦 Bosnia & Herzegovina | 91 /100 | 2025 |
| 46e | 🇸🇷 Suriname | 89.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 47e | 🇦🇲 Armenia | 87.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 47e | 🇨🇱 Chile | 87.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 47e | 🇫🇮 Finland | 87.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 47e | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 87.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 47e | 🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea | 87.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 47e | 🇰🇷 South Korea | 87.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 47e | 🇲🇹 Malta | 87.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 47e | 🇴🇲 Oman | 87.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 47e | 🇷🇸 Serbia | 87.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 47e | 🇹🇷 Türkiye | 87.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 57e | 🇨🇻 Cape Verde | 85.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 57e | 🇲🇿 Mozambique | 85.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 59e | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 84 /100 | 2025 |
| 59e | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | 84 /100 | 2025 |
| 59e | 🇲🇽 Mexico | 84 /100 | 2025 |
| 59e | 🇹🇱 Timor-Leste | 84 /100 | 2025 |
| 59e | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | 84 /100 | 2025 |
| 64e | 🇦🇱 Albania | 80.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 64e | 🇧🇫 Burkina Faso | 80.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 64e | 🇨🇲 Cameroon | 80.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 64e | 🇨🇩 Congo - Kinshasa | 80.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 64e | 🇬🇦 Gabon | 80.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 64e | 🇲🇦 Morocco | 80.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 64e | 🇵🇦 Panama | 80.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 64e | 🇸🇻 El Salvador | 80.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 72e | 🇨🇮 Côte d’Ivoire | 78.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 72e | 🇲🇰 North Macedonia | 78.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 72e | 🇹🇬 Togo | 78.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 75e | 🇧🇴 Bolivia | 78.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 76e | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | 76.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 76e | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | 76.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 76e | 🇸🇳 Senegal | 76.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 76e | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | 76.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 80e | 🇦🇷 Argentina | 76.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 81e | 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 81e | 🇧🇾 Belarus | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 81e | 🇬🇪 Georgia | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 81e | 🇬🇲 Gambia | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 81e | 🇬🇹 Guatemala | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 81e | 🇭🇰 Hong Kong SAR China | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 81e | 🇮🇷 Iran | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 81e | 🇮🇱 Israel | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 81e | 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 81e | 🇲🇲 Myanmar (Burma) | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 81e | 🇲🇪 Montenegro | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 81e | 🇲🇺 Mauritius | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 81e | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 81e | 🇵🇭 Philippines | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 81e | 🇷🇺 Russia | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 81e | 🇷🇼 Rwanda | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 81e | 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 81e | 🇸🇴 Somalia | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 81e | 🇹🇯 Tajikistan | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 100e | 🇦🇴 Angola | 74.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 101e | 🇬🇾 Guyana | 73.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 101e | 🇰🇳 St. Kitts & Nevis | 73.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 101e | 🇱🇨 St. Lucia | 73.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 101e | 🇳🇮 Nicaragua | 73.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 105e | 🇯🇴 Jordan | 73 /100 | 2025 |
| 105e | 🇰🇪 Kenya | 73 /100 | 2025 |
| 105e | 🇸🇹 São Tomé & Príncipe | 73 /100 | 2025 |
| 108e | 🇧🇧 Barbados | 71.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 108e | 🇭🇹 Haiti | 71.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 108e | 🇳🇦 Namibia | 71.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 111e | 🇧🇯 Benin | 67.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 111e | 🇩🇯 Djibouti | 67.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 111e | 🇱🇦 Laos | 67.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 111e | 🇲🇬 Madagascar | 67.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 115e | 🇧🇮 Burundi | 66.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 116e | 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic | 66 /100 | 2025 |
| 117e | 🇧🇹 Bhutan | 65.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 118e | 🇪🇬 Egypt | 64.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 118e | 🇲🇼 Malawi | 64.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 118e | 🇳🇪 Niger | 64.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 118e | 🇹🇩 Chad | 64.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 122e | 🇧🇿 Belize | 62.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 122e | 🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan | 62.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 122e | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | 62.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 122e | 🇳🇵 Nepal | 62.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 122e | 🇸🇬 Singapore | 62.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 122e | 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan | 62.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 128e | 🇻🇨 St. Vincent & Grenadines | 60.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 129e | 🇬🇩 Grenada | 60.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 129e | 🇰🇭 Cambodia | 60.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 129e | 🇹🇭 Thailand | 60.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 132e | 🇧🇸 Bahamas | 59 /100 | 2025 |
| 132e | 🇭🇳 Honduras | 59 /100 | 2025 |
| 134e | 🇩🇿 Algeria | 55.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 134e | 🇪🇹 Ethiopia | 55.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 134e | 🇲🇱 Mali | 55.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 137e | 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | 54.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 138e | 🇺🇬 Uganda | 53.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 139e | 🇲🇷 Mauritania | 51.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 140e | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | 51.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 141e | 🇰🇲 Comoros | 50 /100 | 2025 |
| 141e | 🇫🇯 Fiji | 50 /100 | 2025 |
| 141e | 🇮🇳 India | 50 /100 | 2025 |
| 141e | 🇮🇶 Iraq | 50 /100 | 2025 |
| 141e | 🇱🇾 Libya | 50 /100 | 2025 |
| 141e | 🇸🇾 Syria | 50 /100 | 2025 |
| 141e | 🇿🇲 Zambia | 50 /100 | 2025 |
| 141e | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | 50 /100 | 2025 |
| 149e | 🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau | 48 /100 | 2025 |
| 150e | 🇬🇭 Ghana | 46.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 150e | 🇰🇮 Kiribati | 46.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 150e | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | 46.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 150e | 🇱🇸 Lesotho | 46.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 154e | 🇲🇻 Maldives | 45.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 155e | 🇼🇸 Samoa | 44.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 156e | 🇱🇧 Lebanon | 42.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 157e | 🇧🇭 Bahrain | 42 /100 | 2025 |
| 158e | 🇨🇫 Central African Republic | 41 /100 | 2025 |
| 159e | 🇪🇷 Eritrea | 40.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 160e | 🇯🇲 Jamaica | 39.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 160e | 🇵🇷 Puerto Rico | 39.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 160e | 🇸🇩 Sudan | 39.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 163e | 🇦🇬 Antigua & Barbuda | 37.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 163e | 🇨🇬 Congo - Brazzaville | 37.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 163e | 🇬🇳 Guinea | 37.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 163e | 🇵🇰 Pakistan | 37.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 163e | 🇹🇹 Trinidad & Tobago | 37.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 168e | 🇧🇳 Brunei | 35.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 169e | 🇹🇳 Tunisia | 34.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 170e | 🇩🇲 Dominica | 34 /100 | 2025 |
| 171e | 🇸🇿 Eswatini | 28.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 172e | 🇧🇩 Bangladesh | 25 /100 | 2025 |
| 172e | 🇱🇷 Liberia | 25 /100 | 2025 |
| 174e | 🇧🇼 Botswana | 21.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 174e | 🇳🇬 Nigeria | 21.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 174e | 🇸🇧 Solomon Islands | 21.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 174e | 🇻🇺 Vanuatu | 21.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 178e | 🇰🇼 Kuwait | 17.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 178e | 🇾🇪 Yemen | 17.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 180e | 🇶🇦 Qatar | 12.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 181e | 🇦🇫 Afghanistan | 0 /100 | 2025 |
| 181e | 🇫🇲 Micronesia | 0 /100 | 2025 |
| 181e | 🇲🇭 Marshall Islands | 0 /100 | 2025 |
| 181e | 🇵🇼 Palau | 0 /100 | 2025 |
| 181e | 🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea | 0 /100 | 2025 |
| 181e | 🇹🇴 Tonga | 0 /100 | 2025 |
Frequently asked questions
Which country has the highest value for "Women's legal equality: parental leave and pregnancy"?
The highest value is in Australia, at 100 /100 (2025).
Which country has the lowest value for "Women's legal equality: parental leave and pregnancy"?
The lowest value is in Tonga, at 0 /100 (2025).
What is the world median value of "Women's legal equality: parental leave and pregnancy"?
The world median is 75 /100, calculated across 186 countries: half of the countries are above it, the other half below.
What is the value of "Women's legal equality: parental leave and pregnancy" for France?
France scores 100 /100 (2025), ranking 1 out of 186 countries (ranked from highest to lowest).
Where does the "Women's legal equality: parental leave and pregnancy" data come from?
It comes from Banque mondiale – Women, Business and the Law (WBL 2.0). Site last updated: November 8, 2026. Each country is shown with the year of its most recent value.
What does the parenthood score look at?
It looks at paid maternity and paternity leave, coverage of benefits by the state and the prohibition of dismissing a pregnant worker.
How should the scale be read?
The score ranges from zero to one hundred. The closer it is to one hundred, the more the protections linked to pregnancy and childbirth are written into law.
Source and update
Source : Banque mondiale – Women, Business and the Law (WBL 2.0). Site last updated: November 8, 2026.
Indicators in the same category : Women's Legal Equality (Indices)
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