A Changing World No one was offered maternity leave a century ago because the only jobs that mothers had were unregulated. Now, virtually every nation has a maternity leave policy, revised every decade or so. As of 2012, only Australia, Iceland, and Canada offered policies reflecting gender equality. That may be the next innovation in many nations.
Note: In some cases, leave can be shared between parents or other family members. Many nations have increased leave in the past three years.