South Africa's maternity leave pay is among the world's worst
The Global Maternity Leave Report found that South Africa has one of the lowest rankings in the world regarding maternity leave.
Image: Supplied.
The time after giving birth is very important for new mothers and their babies, but the rules around maternity leave can be very different depending on where you live in the world.
A recent study titled The Global Maternity Leave Report for 2025 by UK company, Moorepay, looked at how different countries treat new mothers during this critical period.
The company compared how long mothers can stay away from work and how much money they can get paid during that time.
The figures are quoted in international dollars to account for the cost of living in each country, with a purchasing power parity conversion used for each country.
In South Africa, things are quite tough for new mothers. Along with the United States, Tonga and Papua New Guinea offer no guaranteed pay for taking maternity leave. Placing them last on the list.
While mothers can take at least four months off, that leave could be unpaid.
While South African mothers can claim from the Unemployment Insurance Fund, employers have no legal obligation to pay maternity leave to their employees.
South Africa, the United States, Tonga and Papua New Guinea offer no guaranteed pay for taking maternity leave.
Image: Moorepay website.
Meanwhile, Norway has the highest maternity pay globally, offering mothers an impressive $73,955 (over R1.2m).
Romania follows with $49,777 (R863k), allowing mothers to take paid leave for up to two years and receive up to 85% of their average income over the preceding six months.
The first 63 days of postnatal leave are mandatory to promote the health of the mother and child. Maternity leave can continue for up to two years.
South Korea, Finland and Sweden rounded out the top five. With amounts of $48 796 (R847k), $46 952 (R815k) and $44 358 (R770k), respectively.
First world countries, the UAE and the United Kingdom, offer maternity pay of just $13014 (R225k) and $12 880 (R223K), respectively.
As new mothers navigate the challenges of taking time off work, it remains crucial for South Africa to improve maternity leave policies and offer better support.
Image: Moorepay webite.
Meanwhile, in Africa, Egypt stands out by providing the best maternity pay, averaging $10,161 (R176k) for mothers.
Mauritius follows closely behind, offering $7462 (R129k) and Algeria with $2297 (R39k).
Sadly, South Africa is not alone in facing these challenges, as Eswatini offers the least amount of maternity pay in the region, only providing two weeks of paid leave out of a total of six weeks for mothers who have worked long enough at their job.