Sol P. Juárez speaking with Kari Hasselberg, Head of Secretariat for the Committee of Social Insurance, at the Swedish Parliament. Photo: Private.

“The main conclusion of our presentation is that generous parental leave policies contribute to healthy and sustainable societies,” says Sol P. Juárez, Associate Professor at the Department of Public Health Sciences at Stockholm University.

Juárez is the Principal Investigator and Project Manager of the research project The unintended consequences of Swedish parental leave policy: A health equity perspective (ParLeHealth). Two other project members were involved in the presentation at the Swedish Parliament: Dr Helena Honkaniemi (postdoctoral researcher) and Amy Heshmati (PhD student).

Amy Heshmati and Helena Honkaniemi in front of the Swedish Parliament. Photo: Private.

 Following the presentation the three researchers had a fruitful discussion with members of the Committee of Social Insurance, which has representatives from all political parties in the Parliament.

“Our presentation was very much appreciated. Maria Norberg, the secretary of the commission, sent me an email afterwards. She said that the presentation gave a very good and in-depth knowledge in the area that the committee requested, which facilitates the committee's work in the area in the future,” Juárez says.

Håkan Soold