To celebrate Mother’s Day, or as John Oliver called it on Last Week Tonight, “the only day of the year we don’t look at our phones and go ‘yeahhh not now, mom,'” Oliver called the United States to task for its failure to provide mothers with paid maternity leave.
According to Oliver, the U.S. and Papua New Guinea are the only two countries that do not give any paid maternity leave. While the federal Family Medical Leave Act guarantees women won’t lose their job if they take 12 weeks of unpaid leave, it only applies to women who are full-time employees in medium and large-sized companies. Freelancers, part-time, and contract employees and employees at smaller companies are not covered.
For Oliver, this is unacceptable treatment of mothers. “You deserve the very best moms, you’re just not going to get it.” In Oliver’s opinion, it’s especially appalling, because when California enacted a paid maternity leave law, they found the results overall to be akin to having hockey on in the back of the bar—”it’s not hurting anyone and a few people are really into it.”
This Mother’s Day Oliver encourages passing meaningful legislation instead of another Hooters gift card.
Afghan refugee Aziza Nazar, 37, a mother of 7 children, with her daughter Lal Mina, 3, at her neighbor's mud house in a slum on the outskirts of Islamabad on March 30, 2014. Nazar and her parents fled the Civil War in their village near Kabul 15 years ago.
"During the the Civil War only rich people could survive. There was fighting between groups in my village. That's why my parents decided to flee to Pakistan. I don't want my children to live [through] what I lived [through], and I can make sure of that in Pakistan."Muhammed Muheisen—AP Images for TIMETorbakey Haidar, 45, a mother of 7 children, at her mud house in a slum on the outskirts of Islamabad on March 29, 2014. Haidar and her family fled Afghanistan's border town of Torkham six years ago due to the violence and took refuge in Pakistan.
"Because of the war we left our home. I want my children to grow up in Pakistan. We are not respected in Pakistan as refugees, but as a mother I am happy to be here and to face anything just to feel that my children are safe."Muhammed Muheisen—AP Images for TIMEAfghan refugee Basmeenah Hassan, 26, a mother of 3 children, holds her daughter Zara, 3 months, in her makeshift kitchen at her mud house in a slum on the outskirts of Islamabad on March 29, 2014. Hassan and her husband left their hometown of Laghman in Afghanistan seeking refuge in Pakistan eight years ago.
"I want my children to be safe - that's why we left our homes in Afghanistan, to see them growing in front of our eyes."Muhammed Muheisen—AP Images for TIMEAfghan refugee Belquis Elias, 42, a mother of 4 children who are now adults, at the doorway of her mud house on the outskirts of Islamabad on March 30, 2014. Elias and her husband fled their hometown of Khairabad 19 years ago and took refuge in Pakistan.
"My two sons are living in Afghanistan with their own families, but they are still my children and I am always worried about them."Muhammed Muheisen—AP Images for TIMEAfghan refugee Wahida Nourallah, 26, a mother of 4 children, holds her son Atauallah, 2, while at her mud house on the outskirts of Islamabad on March 30, 2014. Nourallah and her husband fled Afghanistan 5 years ago.
"I dream of seeing my children growing up, going to schools, becoming educated. I want to be proud of them."Muhammed Muheisen—AP Images for TIMEAfghan refugee Yasmina Yawaz, 30, a mother of 2 children, at her mud house in a slum on the outskirts of Islamabad on March 30, 2014. Yawaz and her husband fled the violence in Jalalabad a year ago, following the death of her brother.
"In Pakistan I can feed my children, provide them with safety and [hope] to create for them a better life than the one we had in Afghanistan."Muhammed Muheisen—AP Images for TIMEAfghan refugee Kalman Abdulwahab, 86, a mother of 9 now adult children, at her mud house on the outskirts of Islamabad on March 30, 2014. She and her husband fled their hometown of Jalalabad 35 years ago due to the Soviet war and took refuge in Pakistan.
"I worry about my sons every time they go to Afghanistan for a visit and I always pray for and ask God to keep them safe wherever they are."Muhammed Muheisen—AP Images for TIMEAfghan refugee Gul Shireen Abdul, 40, a mother of 3 children, holds her daughter Zamina, 40 days, at her mud house in a slum on the outskirts of Islamabad on April 29, 2014. Abdul and her husband left their village near Kabul 15 years ago.
"I came to Pakistan with my husband 15 years ago looking for a better life, leaving our parents and relatives who I miss everyday of my life. But after having a family on my own, I prefer to live in Pakistan so my children won't be in danger."Muhammed Muheisen—AP Images for TIMEAfghan refugee Samar Gul, 89, a mother of 5 now adult children, at her mud house on the outskirts of Pakistan on March 31, 2014. Gul and her late husband fled their home in Laghman 19 years ago due to the Civil War.
"I wait for my children everyday when they come back from their work. I am afraid that they will be deported one day and I won't see them again. My son Youssef is in Afghanistan and I hope he will come back to Pakistan before I die. It's not safe in Afghanistan."Muhammed Muheisen—AP Images for TIMEAfghan refugee Fareeda Abdulgafour, 20, a mother of one child, at her mud house in a slum on the outskirts of Islamabad on March 30, 2014. Nine years ago Abdulgafour and her parents fled the violence in Jalalabad.
"I am a widow. My husband died in a car accident. My boy is my life, and I will live this life taking care of my son. "Muhammed Muheisen—AP Images for TIME
