Codebook of the Historical Database on Maternity Leave (HDML) (2nd updated and extended edition)

The Historical Dataset on Maternity Leave (HDML) provides harmonized, cross-national data on paid maternity leave policies across 153 independent nation-states with populations exceeding 500,000, covering the period from 1883 to 2020. Developed as part of the Global Welfare State Information System (WeSIS), the HDML captures comprehensive policy information on the existence, duration, benefit levels, eligibility criteria, coverage, and financing mechanisms of maternity leave programs over time. The dataset is particularly designed to enable historical and comparative analyses of maternity protection standards in light of the International Labour Organization’s Maternity Protection Conventions. Each observation corresponds to a country-year and includes both standardized and original-format variables. A consistent coding system for missing or inapplicable values ensures analytical transparency. This unique longitudinal resource facilitates research into the global development and diffusion of paid maternity leave policies.