In most western countries (basically all, except the US), maternity/parental leave is paid for, and not by the company. You're required to hold the person's job (except in extreme cases, like if you're restructuring and the job no longer exists, in which case you're required to try to provide a similar position).
> Why is a couple's (or a mothers) choice to have children more important than what I choose to do in life?
The reason why parental leave is important is that the first few years are extremely formative, and having an opportunity for mother and child to bond (or father and child, whatever the case) strongly affects development. Being able to focus on the care of your child is extremely important to their development[1], and because those children tend to become more well-adjusted, it's beneficial to society as a whole. That's why most countries provide parental leave for one or both parents.
So the answer is, women should be able to have children and not feel punished for it or discriminated against because of it because that discourages a society where people care about each other and feel like they're part of something.
> Why is a couple's (or a mothers) choice to have children more important than what I choose to do in life?
The reason why parental leave is important is that the first few years are extremely formative, and having an opportunity for mother and child to bond (or father and child, whatever the case) strongly affects development. Being able to focus on the care of your child is extremely important to their development[1], and because those children tend to become more well-adjusted, it's beneficial to society as a whole. That's why most countries provide parental leave for one or both parents.
So the answer is, women should be able to have children and not feel punished for it or discriminated against because of it because that discourages a society where people care about each other and feel like they're part of something.
[1] http://now.uiowa.edu/2012/10/parental-bondinghappy-stable-ch...