Strengthening Malaysia’s Extended Paid Childbirth Benefit for Families

Highlights

Malaysia’s proposed Extended Maternity Leave Benefit under the Employment Insurance System of the Social Security Organisation (PERKESO) could strengthen support for women and families during pregnancy, childbirth and early childhood.

Evidence shows that well-designed paid maternity leave can help women remain in the workforce while supporting better health outcomes for mothers and children. However, how maternity and paternity benefits are designed can also affect gender equality and women’s career opportunities.

This policy brief identifies opportunities to strengthen the proposal, including extended paternity benefits for insured male workers and a “Maternity Plus” model combining financial assistance with maternal and child services. It also proposes a broader social insurance approach for families and children under a “Lindung Keluarga” framework.

Together, these measures could help reduce the financial and care-related pressures families face while promoting a more equal sharing of caregiving responsibilities.