In the universal scheme of things, pregnancy and maternity leave are often uttered in the same breath, reinforcing the role of the father as the breadwinner, who need not to have much to do with bringing up his child. And more often than not, laws mirror a society's beliefs, which explains why several countries, including India, have no legal provision for paternity leave. Sweden — with state insurance schemes that enable parents to stay home with their children for up to 480 days, wherein 90 of these days are reserved for each parent exclusively — is leading the way in ensuring parenthood is an equally shared experience.

To further the discussion on gender equality, the Consulate General of Sweden is organising Swedish Dads — Indian Dads, a photo exhibition featuring everyday experiences of fathers in the Scandinavian country by Swedish photographer Johan Bävman, and Indian Dads, by Indian photographer Avinash Gowariker. We spoke to Bävman, who is in town for the opening of the exhibition. Edited excerpts from the interview.