‘What about fathers?’: Netizens call for inclusivity after Indranee Rajah urges support for mothers
Netizens called for greater support for fathers after Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Indranee Rajah, urged employers to support women taking time off to be with their children.
Speaking to the media on April 29, Ms Indranee said she hopes it will become normal for women to take time off to care for their children, and be supported by employers when re-entering the workplace.
This follows the establishment of the new Marriage and Parenthood Reset Workgroup, after the country’s total fertility rate (TFR) fell to a new low of 0.87 in 2025.
Calls for increase in childcare leave
While some netizens were heartened by Ms Indranee’s remarks, others called for greater support for both parents.
“Does a child only have a mother? What about fathers who have to take time off to take care of kids as well?” one netizen commented on an Instagram reel posted by The Straits Times.
“Fathers need to be included as well. My husband not only has to take care of both my boys if they are sick but is also caretaker to me as I’m going through cancer treatment,” a user echoed.
Another agreed, saying that employers “should support ANYONE taking time off to be with their children”, while one netizen questioned whether it was assumed that fathers “don’t look after their children”.
Other netizens suggested increasing childcare leave per child, or extending eligibility to parents with children aged 12 and below.
“Childcare leave at six days is ridiculous. Increase that first then change will happen,” one netizen commented.
Current guidelines by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) state that parents of Singapore citizen children under seven years old are entitled to six days of paid childcare leave per year, regardless of the number of children. To qualify, the parent must also have been employed continuously for at least three months.
Members of Parliament also proposed increasing the number of days of childcare leave in February 2025.
One Redditor suggested ensuring job security before establishing such norms, while another called for “practical solutions” over “ideological ideas”.
“With retrenchment and unemployment so common these days, this ‘norm’ is not something they can afford,” the Redditor said.
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