I worked for a lot of tech companies in the UK, and all the companies had women project managers and developers without any discrimination that I could see (I'm male). It probably helps that the UK has mandatory maternity leave, and the company must employ you again after you come back from leave. I now live in Canada, and it has similar maternity benefits.
Basically the problem is that you live in a country where people are scared shitless of socialism so mothers get fuck all when they have a baby.
Any decent employer should give you reasonable benefits over and above what is required by law (i.e. nothing), and if they tell you that you should be wearing your beeper while on leave you really should tell them to fuck off.
The U.S. has mandatory maternity leave as well. The problem isn't getting time off of work.
The problem is that you don't get paid. The problem is that you don't get a salary increase because your managers, knowing you're a recent mother, have expectations that your productivity will drop more than a man with a newborn.
Slate.com is running a series of articles where women from various European countries discuss maternity issues. The purpose is to shed light on European vs American experiences. The U.S. is behind the curve, but not by as much as you'd think.
Ukraine mandates paid leave, which can be extended for up to 3 years (with partial pay), which created an unintended consequence - it's extremely hard for a young woman to get hired, and it's next to impossible for a young woman with a hint of pregnancy to get a job.
There are anti-discrimination laws, but proving anything in court beyond reasonable doubt is time-, money- and energy-consuming.
Basically the problem is that you live in a country where people are scared shitless of socialism so mothers get fuck all when they have a baby.
Any decent employer should give you reasonable benefits over and above what is required by law (i.e. nothing), and if they tell you that you should be wearing your beeper while on leave you really should tell them to fuck off.