Paula Ling and other NPC delegates call for longer maternity leave

Local lawyer Paula Ling Hsiao Yun and three other female delegates from Macau to the National People’s Congress (NPC) have expressed their concerns about women’s entitlement to holidays in addition to the 56 days of maternity leave, Macao Daily News reported.
According to the Labor Relations Law, women, in general, are granted a period of 56 days of maternity leave, whereas, in particular, female civil servants are granted a full three months, which is similar to the mainland entitlement (98 days). Ling complained that “56 days are definitely not enough. Female workers should be entitled to the same maternity leave as civil servants.”
Four out of the 12 NPC delegates from Macau are female.  According to Iong Weng Ian, leader of Macau Women’s General Association, the number of female members of local organizations and committees has been increasing but the ratio between men and women is still disproportionate. In her words, “I hope that the government creates more opportunities for women.”
Currently, local residents enjoy 10 mandatory holidays of paid leave, against seven in the mainland. Ho Sut Heng, chairwoman of the Federation of Trade Unions (FAOM), considered that the maternity leave issue is “not up to pace with social development” and thinks women need more time for themselves.
Besides maternity leave, Leong Iok Wa, leader of FAOM, suggested that employed women, especially those on frequent rotational shift work, could be offered better organized working schedules.
Regarding women’s status in society, the four delegates informed the media, while in Beijing, that female employees normally take responsibility both at home and at work, and that the pressure on local working-class women is quickly increasing. They suggested that extended maternity leave, as well as providing better services to the elderly and infants would bring improvements to the community.