Fathers' rights to paid parental leave in the Nordic countries: consequences for the gendered division of leave

European Union policy encourages men and women to share parental leave to balance work and family life and promote gender equality in the labor market. A new directive extends parental leave to four months and introduces a quota, so one month is reserved for each parent. This article explores to what extent government-provided, paid parental leave and quotas for fathers could bring about equality in the division of leave between men and women by focusing on the pioneers in the field, the Nordic countries - the first nations to offer fathers parental leave and introduce quotas. First, we describe the extent to which parental leave policies have been established and implemented in a way that is likely to promote equal sharing of leave. Next, we evaluate the impact of particular configurations of gender equality incentives in present parental leave policies for the actual division of leave time between men and women. Findings contribute to the conceptual as well as empirical understanding of whether fathers' rights and use of parental leave can help bring about an egalitarian division of leave between mothers and fathers, often thought to be the foundation for gender equality.