|
══════════════════【立報】═══════════════════ |
| 教 育 專 題 深 入 報 導《2005-03-11》 |
| 本期內容 | |
| ◎ 要求爸爸顧小孩 瑞典有一套 | |
| ◎ 台灣立報徵文啟事 | |
| 要求爸爸顧小孩 瑞典有一套 | |
| 策劃、編譯■李淑菁 | |
|
瑞典堪稱是全球社會福利的模範國家，對國民的照顧可以說是「從搖籃到墳墓」，對女性權益的維護更是無一國可以望其項背，是許多國家女權運動者想望的境界。從瑞典的例子，我們可以看到國家如何以政策引導父親加入共同照顧子女的責任；我們也看到瑞典政府開始注意到某些不利於男性照顧者的法令，準備好好地審視一些既有的規定。 平等紅利 鼓勵夫妻共同分擔照顧責任 瑞典最大黨社會民主黨，一直在討論鼓勵瑞典父母共同分擔照顧子女責任的方式。以去年而言，只有18％的父親提出親職假的申請，因此瑞典政府未來可能以發放紅利的政策，來鼓勵父親也共同擔負起養兒育女責任。 據指出，新的政策將把照顧子女期間的8成薪提高到9成，倘若照顧的責任可讓父母親雙方平均負擔，雇用女性那一方的公司財務壓力就可減輕。 湯姆斯‧伊爾若思是瑞典議會社會保險委員會的主席，他表示這樣的相關討論已經在社會民主黨出現。他說：「我希望新的政策能讓父母親們更便於處理自己的親職假，以及經濟狀況。『平等紅利』的作法可以是一種像配額的工具，我想我們應該把所有的可能性都考慮進去。」 瑞典政府對於去年提出親職假的父親比例感到不滿意，只有18％的父親提出親職假的申請。很多的情況是因為父親通常要負責賺錢養家，請親職假的成本太高了。 在瑞典電台提出說明時，社會部部長安的諾承認，現行制度明顯有利於高收入的族群。她說：「我們知道親職假的相關規定相當不公平，最高收入的那個群體總是可以比低收入者更平均地分配父母雙方的親職假，因此也可以拿到更多的好處。 「這是其來有自的，假如你的收入比較低的話，每一百克朗（瑞典貨幣單位）的價值對你而言更重要。從這樣的觀點來看，有一種假設似乎很有趣：假如我們增加低收入者的經濟機會，我們就能夠增加低收入家庭的父親申請親職假的比例。」 根據最近一項調查，86％的瑞典父母認為父親應繼續申請親職假。然而當談到法規時，就沒那麼容易了。 斯洛瓦德森是政府派任的親職保險監察官。他說：「法令的部份我無話可說，假如違背我個人想法的話！」 同樣的調查也指出，87％的父母認為這是個家庭決定的問題，而非一個政府該決定的問題。但倘若這是由家庭決定，又出現另一個風險，那就是假如親職假被分開來的話，不滿一歲的孩子最後可能也被送到日托中心。 斯洛瓦德森指出，鼓勵父親加入親職假的行列，不意味著孩子將有更長時間接受親生父母的照顧。他說：「我們認為另一個重要問題是：父親應該獨自在某一階段的時間獨自請親職假，讓他們自己學習來照顧小孩。」 「因為今天我們看到的是，許多父親利用親職假度假，或把親職假跟耶誕節假期連在一起，因為那個時間通常妻子也在家，照顧責任又落到妻子的身上。」 這個政策草案將在今年秋天提出。 Social democrats have long been discussing a way to encourage parents to balance their parental leave. According to recent re-ports in Aftonbladet, it seems a financial bonus might be the solution. Tomas Eneroth, the chairman for the parliamentary social insurance committee, confirmed that a discussion is taking place within the Social Democratic party. The new proposal would mean an increase in compensation from 80% of salary to 90% of salary if the leave is shared equally. "I want it to be easier for mothers and fathers to be able to handle parental leave and their economic situation," said Eneroth. "An equality bonus can be an instrument just like quotas. I think we should discuss all the possibilities." The government is not satisfied with the number of fathers who took their parental leave last year: only 18% of the total enti-tlement was used. In many cases, the family cannot afford the leave since it is usually the father who makes more money. Speaking to Swedish Radio, Social minister Berit Andnor acknowledged that the current system favours those in the higher in-come groups. "We know that the parental leave take-up is rather unequal and that those who have the highest incomes divide their parental leave more equally than those parents who have low incomes," she said. "This makes sense - if you have a low income every hundred kronor is worth so much more. From that perspective it could be interesting to see if by improving the economic opportunities we were able to increase the take-up of parental leave among fa-thers." Karl-Petter Thorwaldsson is the government's appointed investigator for parental insurance. According to a recent Sifo survey, 86% of parents think that fathers should go on parental leave. But there is still clear opposition when it comes to legislation. "I cannot say anything else even if this goes against what I personally think," said Thorwaldsson to TT. The same survey also showed that 87％ of parents think that it is a decision to be made by the family and not by the govern-ment. But there is also a risk that the child ends up in day-care before the age of one if the leave is divided. Thorwaldsson pointed out that encouraging fathers to take more time off does not necessarily mean that the child will have a longer period of parental care."We think another important question is that the father should be on parental leave alone for a cer-tain time," he said. "Today we see that much of fathers' parental leave is taken in connection with holidays and Christmas when the mother is also at home." The proposal will be presented in the autumn. （資料來源／瑞典英語報The Local，網址www.thelocal.se） 一個適合男人、女人、老人及小孩的國度 瑞典的國民所得是世界前三高的國家之一，但在這樣有錢的國家，卻堅持不開放外籍幫傭，因為整個社會瀰漫著一種社會正義的氣氛：自己國家的老人跟小孩，應該由全社會共同分擔照顧，而不應以經濟的優勢去剝削經濟弱勢國家的女性。 下面整理出一些瑞典的相關規定，從這些規定中，您可以想像這是一個什麼樣的國家： ★1845年，父母過世時，女兒也可繼承財產。 ★1931年，開辦母親保險，母親可在家不用工作。 ★1939年，明訂雇主不得解僱懷孕婦女。 ★1951年，瑞典女性與外國人結婚，可保留瑞典國籍。 ★1996年成立國家性別研究中心。 ★1997年修改皇室繼承法，將過去父傳子的習俗改為：不論男女，國王的第一個孩子就是王儲。 ★10人以上的公司，應該有平等計劃，否則就處以罰金。 ★女性參政比率達50％。 ★婦女勞動參與率達80％以上。 ★念大學免費，外國學生也一樣。 （資料來源／兩性平等教育季刊第27期） 育兒津貼不利父親 社會部擬改進 瑞典社會福利部部長安的諾日前指出，在瑞典的父親遭受不公平待遇，因為大部份撫養小孩相關的補助都由母親領取，因此政府應好好開始重新審視這項規定。 安的諾表示，瑞典的兒童福利制度可以追溯到1947年：「當時的人有一個假設，那就是女性應該在家照顧小孩。」因此從那個時候開始，瑞典的母親每個月可以從政府拿到撫養小孩的費用，直到小孩滿16歲為止。目前母親每個月照顧一個小孩可從政府拿到950克朗的津貼。 這個議題是由一位瑞典歌手威利克拉福特所引爆。他告訴媒體，也在某報紙專欄上說明自己的處境。他是一個離過兩次婚、有兩個小孩的父親，他向媒體表示自己應在法律上被公平對待，應該也有權利取得小孩福利津貼，特別是小孩的母親現在的薪水還比他高。 克拉福特表示：「總是如此，但很不幸的是這樣的情況在男性中心社會的遺毒被清除殆盡之前，可能還要維持一陣子。」他的這一句話，在瑞典社會又多了一些討論。他解釋：「部份是因為一些瑞典男人不願為那幾百克朗做什麼努力，部份因為女人就是愛錢！」 由於現今的瑞典社會，女男兩性已有共識，共同負擔起育子的責任，安的諾已要求瑞典社會保險局深入研究兒童福利制度，最新的報告將在今年3月出爐。 安的諾是一位女性部長。她告訴瑞典新聞通訊社說：「確保所有的立法對兩性都是公平是非常重要的。」「這是個原則問題！」 安的諾說：「我們認為父母親都應該負起養兒育女的責任，不是只有女性而已！」這樣一來，瑞典的兒童福利制度可能要重新接受審視可能的問題所在。她矢志要把現有制度公平化，但對於其中可能的問題她也瞭然於心。 她說：「在夫妻離異之後，有些小孩從來沒再看過父親，因此倘若把一半的錢給另一個不再與孩子有任何聯繫的父或母，那也是不公平。倘若小孩由父母聯合監護，不見得父母都分擔其一半的照養責任。」 雖然如此，有一項可以做到的是，在夫妻離異之後，若由父親取得監護權的情況下，應通知社會保險局把兒童福利津貼撥到父親的名下。安的諾表示，她將耐心等待社會保險局調查報告出爐，再提出符合兩性公平原則的新法案。 （資料來源／瑞典英語報The Local，網址www.thelocal.se） Fathers in Sweden are discriminated against while mothers cash in on child benefit says Berit Andnor, Swedish Minister for Social Affairs. And now it's high time to rewrite the rules. Sweden's child benefit legislation dates from 1947 at a time when, according to Andnor, "one assumed that women should be at home taking care of the children". Since then, Swedish mothers have been able to pocket the monthly sum - which now stands at 950 crowns per child - until the child's 16th birthday. The matter was brought to the attention of the Swedish press this week by singer Wille Crafoord. In a column in Expressen on Tuesday, the twice-divorced father of two argued that he should receive an equal share of the family's child benefit entitlement - particularly since the children's mother earns more than he does. "It has ALWAYS been like this - and unfortunately it will be a while before the stinking remains of the male society are com-pletely cleaned away," he said, adding some colour to the debate. "Partly because men, for some bizarre chivalrous (patronising?) reason don't want to muck about with hundred crown notes. Partly because women quite simply love money." As reported in Thursday's newspapers, Andnor has asked the Swedish Social Insurance Office (Forsakringskassan) to investi-gate a change in the child benefit system and a report is expected in March this year. "It's important that all legislation is equal between the sexes," she told Swedish news agency TT. "It's a matter of principle." "We are of the opinion that both parents should take responsibility for their children," said Andnor. But the child benefit issue becomes problematic when parents decide to separate. That may be one problem. But Berit Andnor pointed out that while she is in favour of equalising the system, she is aware of the difficulties involved. "After a separation there are many children who don't see their fathers at all. So it's unreasonable that those who do not have any contact with their children get half of the child benefit," she said."And in cases where parents have joint custody it does not necessarily follow that they share the care of the child equally." However, it is possible to notify the Social Insurance office that the benefit should be paid out to the father in such cases where the father has custody of a child after separation or divorce. In a bid to make Swedish family affairs fair, Andnor says she will wait for the conclusions of the Social Insurance Office inquiry before proposing new legislation. |
|
| （回目錄） | |
| 台灣立報徵文啟事 | |
|
本報誠徵閱讀經驗分享，歡迎教師、家長及學生分享經驗，題材包括如何推動學生閱讀、啟發學生閱讀興趣、學生閱讀心得或小書評，文長500～1500字皆可，投至fiveguys@ms19.hinet.net，凡經採用，敬奉薄酬。 |
|
| （回目錄） | |
|
參觀立報： |
http://www.lihpao.com |
|
寫信給小編 e-mail： |
fiveguys@ms19.hinet.net |
|
立報地址： |
台北縣新店市復興路43號一樓 |