Paid Leave for Adopter Moms

The directive on granting paid leave to women who adopt children under the age of three has come into effect, announced Mohammad Nafarieh, director general of Children and Adolescents at the State Welfare Organization.

“The directive, which was issued early in March, is now effective and binding,” he was quoted by ISNA as saying. Under the directive issued by the Ministry of Labor, Cooperatives and Social Welfare, women who adopt children under the age of three are entitled to 84 days of paid leave in both state and private organizations. The leave – also called the ‘caring period’ – is needed for a woman to bond with her adopted child. The rate of child adoption in the country has seen a 35% increase over the past two years. Out of the 24,500 children in 600 welfare centers across the country, 14,000 have been adopted in the past year, mostly by families. The directive also applies to surrogate mothers.