This record improvement in coverage to 24 weeks makes it
quite unique among developing countries. Nearly all countries
in South Asia have provided at least 12-weeks of paid maternity
leave for decades. A study has been conducted on the
demographic impacts of the expansion in paid ML coverage. It
reveals a strong association between ML length and Infant
Mortality Rates (IMR) as well as evidence of ML policy having
a positive impact on Female Labour Force Participation (FLFP)