men and caregiving
TRANSCRIPT
Ruti Levtov Promundo-US
EXPERT CONSULTATION ON FAMILY AND PARENTING SUPPORT UNICEF INNOCENTI CENTER, May 26-27
Men and Caregiving
About Promundo Founded in Rio de Janeiro in 1997 to engage men and boys in gender equality and violence prevention
Offices in Brazil, US, Portugal, Great Lakes Region
Using research to inform and drive practice and policy
Promoting care work and men’s Involvement in MCH via public health sector
Engaging men via women’s economic empowerment and conditional cash transfers
Using the education sector to reach boys and girls to change gender norms
Preventing violence & sexual exploitation of children
Working with the peace and security sector to build lasting, gender-equitable peace
• Understanding men and boys as enmeshed in gender norms and social expectations
• Aspects of masculinity that are harmful to both men and women
• Men too often seen from a deficit perspective and not enough as agents of change
• Strong evidence that when done right, brings benefits for women, children and men themselves
Our Approach
RationaleWhy Fatherhood?
RationaleWhy Fatherhood?
1. Breaking intergenerational cycles of violence… with the promotion of caregiving, emotional connection and love.
RationaleWhy Fatherhood?
2. “The caregiving divide is still one of the primary drivers in the gender pay and employment gap” – World Bank
Women represent 40% of paid workforce and more than half the world’s food producers
Yet, average time women spend on unpaid care work is 2 to 10 times that of men
RationaleWhy Fatherhood?
3. An early entry point to promote maternal & child health and prevent violence against women and children
IMAGES data: 76-92% of men went to at least one pre-natal visit
- Improvements in birth preparedness, postnatal care attendance, couple communications.
- Early fatherhood involvement more likely to be sustained
RationaleWhy Fatherhood?
4. Fatherhood an a turning point... …As a pathway out of urban violence and conflict
…As a way to better health (cardiovascular and mental health, in particular)
…As a means to express emotional connection with others (Men Who Care, 2012)
The MenCare campaign
Coordinated by: Steering Commitee:
MenCare Aims to Work at Multiple LevelsWhat
The MenCare Campaign… active in 25+ countries!Active in over 25 countries…
MenCare Resources: Program PProgram P (“P” for
Objectives•Promote men’s involvement in prenatal and postnatal care
•Promote the equal division of household labor and caregiving
•Increase men’s self-efficacy as care-givers
•Promote positive communication and reduce parental and family stress and violence
Recognizes the diversity in family types and structures
1. Fatherhood in the Health Sector: A Guide for Health Professionals on Engaging Men
2. Engaged Fatherhood: Group Education for Fathers and their Partners
3. MenCare Campaigns: Community Mobilization Strategies
Normalizing Men’s Caregiving
Institutionalizing MenCare: Working with the Health Sector
MenCare+ Initiative: Putting it all together…
Components: Group education for young men, young women, fathers/couplesCounselling for men who perpetrated violenceCampaignsWorking with health sector Advocacy at local, national, & international levels
3-year collaboration led by RutgersWPF, & Promundo-USFunded by Dutch MoFAImplementing in Brazil, Indonesia, Rwanda and South Africa
State of the world’s fathersa new global report
Why State of the World’s Fathers?
Making the case for equitable, involved fatherhood
Highlighting data, policies, programs and research
Defining a global agenda
Launch: June 2015
Three Sections
1. Men’s participation in caregiving
1. Men’s participation in SRH/MCH
1. Violence
Child well-beingFamily diversity
Into the Future…
• Adaptations of Program P for parents with children with different age groups, nutrition, etc.
• RCTs of Program P in South Africa and Rwanda• Online training portal• Conceptual framework linking violence against women
and violence against children
• Expanding MenCare to new countries and across other cross-cutting initiatives
