And a number of european countries provide extensive paternity leave (Italy 13 weeks, Iceland 12 weeks) and/or shared parental leave (Estonia 62 weeks, Germany 52 weeks, Iceland provides 12 weeks shared parental leave on top of 12 weeks exclusive for each parent, Luxembourg 2*26 weeks) possibly with mandatory share to ensure the father will get to take some of it (in Norway, parental leaves are 56 weeks @80% salary or 46 @100%, the mother gets 9 exclusive weeks and the father gets 12, the rest of the 25/35 weeks is shared as deemed fit)
I realize this is a subtle point but I think the more accurate verb in this case is mandate rather than provide. I.e. countries don't provide maternity/paternity leave; they require employers to provide it.
It depends both the point of view and the country:
* to employees, countries provide parental or paternity leave, that this is through a mandate on the employer is an implementation detail
* a number of countries pay (either in part or in full) for leaves through their social security system, the employer involvement (aside from "normal" social charges and not having the employee during the leave) may well be nil
