Pictures accompanied by Swedish parents’ accounts of their experience of shared parental leave were exhibited in the square of the Monument to Ruler Stefan the Great in Chisinau. Attending the opening of the exhibit entitled “Mosaic of Life, Swedish Ambassador Ingrid Tersman said that Sweden always pleaded for gender equality. She voiced hope that the Moldovans will learn from Sweden’s experience of parental leave and will strengthen society and the ties within it, IPN reports.

The event was attended by Deputy Head of Parliament Liliana Palihovici. “This exhibit shows by pictures how mothers and fathers can combine their personal and professional life and what tasks they undertake when they start a family. Who wants to become a better mother or father can come and inspire themselves by these pictures,” she stated.

MP Vladimir Hotineanu, who heads the Parliament’s commission on social protection, health and family, said that he was impressed by the positive emotions of fathers bringing up their children. “Gender equality is now a priority in our work and we will be glad to learn from Sweden’s experience,” he stated.

The Ministry of Labor, Social Protection and Family was represented by Deputy Minister Gheorghe Turcanu. He said that Sweden’s experience is important as this country has the best practice in the field at world level. The Ministry submitted to Parliament a bill on gender equality that contains amendments to 48 legal acts and institutes paternity leave allowing fathers to be away from work to care for the child during 12 days.