Raksha Mantri (Defence Minister) Rajnath Singh has approved an extraordinary proposal that gives women serving in the Indian Armed Forces the same benefits as males in terms of maternity, child care, and adoption leaves. This decision is historic. By bringing female employees of all ranks into parity, the new regulations will match the benefits of these leaves with those enjoyed by their officer counterparts.
The expansion of leave regulations will help women serving in the military deal with a number of family and social concerns. It will also significantly improve their working conditions, which will enable them to better manage their personal and professional life.
“Raksha Mantri Shri @rajnathsingh has approved a proposal for extension of the rules for Maternity, Child Care and Child Adoption Leaves for women soldiers, sailors and air warriors in the Armed Forces at par with their officer counterparts. With the issuing of the rules, the grant of such leaves to all women in the military, whether one is an officer or any other rank, will be equally applicable,” said the Defence Minister’s Office on X (formerly Twitter).
Raksha Mantri Shri @rajnathsingh has approved a proposal for extension of the rules for Maternity, Child Care and Child Adoption Leaves for women soldiers, sailors and air warriors in the Armed Forces at par with their officer counterparts. With the issuing of the rules, the…
— रक्षा मंत्री कार्यालय/ RMO India (@DefenceMinIndia) November 5, 2023
The Defence minister’s office further said, “The decision is in line with the RM’s vision of inclusive participation of all women in the Armed Forces, irrespective of their ranks. The extension of leave rules will go a long way in dealing with women-specific family and social issues relevant to the Armed Forces. This measure is going to improve the work conditions of women in the military and aid them to balance the spheres of professional and family life in a better manner.”
The Ministry Of Defence said in a statement that the three Services have spearheaded a paradigm shift with inclusion of women as soldiers, sailors and air warriors. “With the recruitment of women Agniveers, the Armed Forces will be empowered with the bravery, dedication and patriotism of women soldiers, sailors and air warriors to defend the land, sea and air frontiers of the country. From being operationally deployed in Siachen, the highest battlefield in the world to being posted on warships as well as dominating the skies, Indian women are now breaking barriers in almost every field in the Armed Forces,” said the ministry.
It further stated that the induction of women into the Indian Army’s Corps of Military Police as soldiers marked a noteworthy milestone in 2019.
The decision recognises the significance of assisting female service personnel throughout their careers and represents a significant change in the Armed Forces’ approach to gender equality. In the past, female officers were the main recipients of maternity and childcare allowances, which left other ranks with little choices. With this extension, we hope to close that gap and provide a work climate where all women serving in the military can carry out their responsibilities and also take care of their families.
These expanded regulations grant women who serve as air warriors, sailors, or soldiers the same rights as their officer counterparts in terms of maternity leave, child care leave, and child adoption leave.
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