An international research team including Professor Przemysław Bąbel from the Institute of Psychology at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków has investigated the sources of inequality in childcare between men and women. 

To do this, young adults’ parental leave plans were analysed. The team collected data from nearly 14,000 people (8880 women, 5062 men) aged 18-30 who were planning to have a child. The study covered 37 countries, varying in terms of the availability and length of parental leave and social attitudes towards gender equality. 

In all countries surveyed, women intended to take longer parental leave than men. Gender differences in leave intentions were paradoxically found to be greater in countries where parental leave policies were more equal.

As the results of the study indicate, men’s leave intentions were related to their individual attitudes towards gender roles rather than the opportunities offered by the state.