They can affect, often indirectly, the companies’ decisions on who to promote more or more frequently. In Serbia, the state guarantees a year of paid maternity leave for the first and second child. The leave can be used either by the mother or the father. For the third and fourth child, this period is two years.
Unfortunately, sometimes policies that seem neutral at first sight in fact widen the gap between men and women. For instance, some universities introduce the possibility for men to go on maternity leave. Some men use such leave to write books and carry out research, and not to look after the baby. In this way, they ensure advantage over other colleagues.