Exploration and Development Direction of Chinese Maternity Insurance System: Learn in France

Abstract

As a kind of social insurance system, the maternity insurance system means the state organ provides in-kind and cash compensation to pregnant women and postpartum mothers and babies through social insurance legislation to protect the basic life of women and babies and promote the recovery of women and work ability. The Chinese maternity insurance system is backward in a rapidly developing society and cannot fully protect female populations' reproductive rights. Different countries’ regulations on the maternity insurance system will vary in the specific content, depending on the economy, culture, historical tradition, political system and social policy. However, it is undeniable that under the trend of globalization, the maternity insurance systems of various countries are of reference significance to China. This article will draw inspiration in France maternity insurance system for the advancement of the Chinese maternity insurance system through comparative analysis, and promote the improvement of the system and the under-construction system for protecting women’s interests. At present, there exist some urgent problems in the Chinese maternity insurance system, which can be mainly summarized as the narrow scope of protection, limited relief channels and low universality. Referring to France, China can take more effective measures such as compulsory medical insurance, establishing clear laws, and following the example of France's addition of "male maternity leave" to eliminate workplace discrimination and child support subsidies, so as to improve public acceptance and dissemination, and then popularize the maternity insurance system.