Paper Short Abstract:

This study explores women’s experiences with parental leave , focusing on cultural expectations, work-life balance, and career reintegration. Using narratives from mothers, it proposes fiscally neutral flexible policies reflecting modern values addressing fairness and rethinking gendered labor norms

Paper Abstract:

This study examines parental leave policies from the perspectives of women’s lived experiences, addressing the congress theme of “unwriting” established norms around labor, gender, and family dynamics. It interrogates what has been done, what could be done, and what should have been done to align these policies with evolving societal values and economic realities.

Through an anthropological lens, the research explores how parental leave policies intersect with cultural expectations, work-life balance aspirations, and career reintegration. Drawing on narratives from mothers in Israel over the past six years, it reflects on societal shifts, including the rise of hybrid and remote work models, and their implications for fairness, flexibility, and continuity in the workforce.

The study proposes an innovative approach to unwriting traditional policy frameworks by identifying key elements of an ideal, fiscally neutral parental leave system. These elements aim to accommodate diverse family needs while balancing economic sustainability and gender equity. By analyzing parental leave as a dynamic intersection of personal and cultural dimensions, the research contributes to rethinking public policy to reflect contemporary values.

This דstudy invites engagement with the medium itself, reflecting on the relationship between form and content, and fostering dialogue on the role of unwriting in shaping progressive parental leave policies for future generations.