New Zealand Parliament Acknowledges Pain Of Miscarriage With New Paid Leave Law, But Still Has Loose Abortion Restrictions

On Wednesday, New Zealand lawmakers approved a bill that would provide paid bereavement leave for people after they experience a miscarriage.

CNN reports that workers in the nation will be allowed to take three days of leave after a miscarriage, as defined by the law, “which is set to gain royal assent after passing its final stage in parliament.”

Ginny Andersen was the Labour member of Parliament who introduced the bill. She “said it would make New Zealand only the second country to provide such a benefit to her knowledge. India allows women six weeks of leave after a miscarriage,” the outlet reports.

“I can only hope that while we may be one of the first, we will not be one of the last, and that other countries will also begin to legislate for a compassionate and fair leave system that recognizes the pain and the grief that comes from miscarriage and stillbirth,” she said in parliament.

At the bill’s reading on Wednesday night, Andersen stated that many employers already give leave to employees who go through a miscarriage. However, she said “there are some who are making employees use up their sick leave at a time when they are dealing with extreme loss, and that is callous and that is wrong.”

New Zealand’s parliament has recently taken steps “that have been hailed by women’s rights groups,” according to CNN.

Last year, the country loosened its restrictions on abortion and effectively changed the previous law that treated abortion as a criminal offense, “though officials say that no one has ever been prosecuted for it. The new law would remove it from the criminal statutes, and provides no penalties for violation,” according to The New York Times.

The new abortion law states that there are no limitations to receiving an abortion if a woman is less than 20 weeks pregnant. However, if she is more than 20 weeks pregnant, a health practitioner can perform an abortion “if the health practitioner reasonably believes that the abortion is clinically appropriate in the circumstances.” The method for finding such reasons is fairly open. The woman’s physical health, mental health, and overall well-being are the considerations that the health practitioner must take into account when determining whether or not to perform an abortion. The practitioner must also “consult at least 1 other qualified health practitioner” and consider the age of the fetus.

The New York Times reports, “The law does not prohibit abortion for the purpose of sex selection, but states that Parliament is opposed to the practice, and directs the government to study the issue and report back on it within five years.”

In her remarks on Wednesday, Andersen also implied that the new legislation regarding leave after miscarriages might help create an environment where there is less of a stigma surrounding the topic of miscarriage. “I hope that this bill will go some way in allowing women to feel more comfortable about talking about miscarriage and that they feel comfortable reaching out for support and for help in what is a huge physical and emotional loss,” Andersen said.

The move illuminates the government’s efforts to acknowledge the pain of losing a child in pregnancy, but stands in stark contrast to some when considered in light of the parliament’s moves to create broader access to abortion last year.

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