New Zealand passes law to pay maternal leave, bereavement allowances
![New Zealand Parliament](https://i1.wp.com/peoplesgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/New-Zealand-parliament.png)
New Zealand has passed legislation granting paid leave to mothers and their partners after a miscarriage or still birth.
The bereavement allowance, passed in parliament on Wednesday, gives employees three days leave when a pregnancy ends with a stillbirth without them having to take sick leave.
“The passing of this bill shows that once again New Zealand is leading the way for progressive and compassionate legislation, becoming only the second country in the world to provide leave for miscarriage and stillbirth,” Labour Party MP Ginny Andersen said to Reuters. “The bill will give women and their partners time to come to terms with their loss without having to tap into sick leave. Because their grief is not a sickness, it is a loss. And loss takes time.”
Ms. Andersen had tweeted on Wednesday, about the final reading of Bereavement Leave for Miscarriage Bill, saying she hoped it would give people time to grieve and promotes the greater openness about miscarriage, which is still considered a taboo topic.
The new law makes provisions for mothers and their partners as well as parents planning to adopt or have a child via surrogacy.
The country becomes the second in the world to grant these rights after India, whose laws provide women with a six weeks leave period if they miscarry a baby.
More from Peoples Gazette
![](https://i1.wp.com/peoplesgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/Gbajabiamila-and-IGP.png)
Rights
Lawmakers move to remove lawless policemen from service
Adding that Nigerians deserve a police force that they can trust, the speaker outlined the need to prioritise recruitment, training and operational priorities.
![Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS](https://i1.wp.com/peoplesgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/Federal-Inland-Revenue-Service-FIRS.jpg)
Economy
FIRS to use NIN to collect tax from Nigerians
The new development will ensure that taxable persons are made to pay taxes promptly and honestly.
![The Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II.](https://i1.wp.com/peoplesgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/oba-of-benin.jpg)
Education
University of Aberdeen to return Oba of Benin artefact
The university released a statement on Thursday saying that the bronze sculpture left the country in an “extremely immoral” fashion.
![Infinox](https://i1.wp.com/peoplesgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/15843524502872-1200x710.jpeg)
Africa
Infinox records 925% increase in trading volumes from African investors in 2020
Figures indicated that the number of active Infinox accounts owned by Africa-based investors in 2020 upped by 831 per cent compared to 2019.
![President-Buhari](https://i1.wp.com/peoplesgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/President-Buhari-1.jpg)
Africa
Buhari praises APRM’s impact on Africa
APRM is a voluntary arrangement amongst African countries to systematically assess and review governance at the head of state peer level.