The gap between mothers and fathers taking parental leave in Belgium has fallen to its lowest level on record, according to new figures published by HR services provider Acerta based on data from the National Employment Office (ONEM).
Women still account for the majority of parental leave users, representing 62% of those taking the scheme during the first quarter of the year. However, the gap between mothers and fathers narrowed by 3.5 percentage points compared with previous years.
"We are seeing parental leave increasingly become a shared responsibility," said Amandine Bosert, leave specialist at Acerta.
Parental leave continues to grow in popularity across Belgium. The number of employees taking parental leave during the first quarter reached a record high, rising by 0.5% compared with the same period in 2024 and by more than 70% compared with the first quarter of 2017.
According to Acerta, the growing flexibility of the system is playing a key role in the trend. Employees can now take parental leave in different formats, including reductions equivalent to one-fifth or one-tenth of working time.
The one-fifth arrangement remains the most popular option among Belgian workers.
