Report says Kenyan father's role in children's lives can promote gender equality

MenCare Campaign Global Co-coordinator Wessel van den Berg (left) and musician David Mathenge aka Nameless during the launch of the State of the World’s Fathers 2015 report at Sarova Panafric Hotel in Nairobi Thursday. [PHOTO: NYARONDA MOTSI/STANDARD]

NAIROBI: Kenya offers one of the longest paternity leaves in Africa, which according to an international men and boys' advocacy group allows men's participation in the children's care.

In a recent report, the group, MenCare, said father-child relationships, whether positive, negative or absent, have profound effects on children.

"Men's positive involvement in fatherhood and care giving can improve gender dynamics and contribute to gender equality, decrease violence and improve the health and well-being of the entire family," the report reads in part.

Other African countries that allow for paternity leave include Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, South Africa, Ethiopia and Sudan among others, which range between 1 to 10 days.

Globally, nearly all developed countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia provide for paternity leave.

The report dubbed "State of Africa's Fathers" points out that the male parents' involvement in their children upbringing right from infancy boosts their self esteem and may also protect sons from delinquency.

The statistics also reveal that one in three women globally experience violence at the hands of a male partner in her lifetime.

It also points out that men are not adequately involved in educating girls on sexual and reproductive health, despite it's threat to women and girls health worldwide.

"Fathers around the world are not often closely engaged during pregnancy and are absent at birth and in early infancy despite evidence them at those stages is beneficial to the health of the mother and child," it explains.

Save the Children East Africa Regional Director David Wright said engaging father and father figures offers in care giving provides a chance to engage boys and men in building an equitable world and also fosters the emotional and physical well-being of the entire family.

Two fathers from Kenya, musician David Mathenge (Nameless) and Academician Peter Onyancha, were interviewed on their involvement care giving and other decisions regarding upbringing of their children has influenced their growth and general view of the world.

MORE RESEARCH

The report launched Thursday, however, said there was need for more research and policies to understand and promote father's involvement in care-giving as part of the solution to achieve gender equality.

MenCare is calling for adoption and implementation of policies in the health sector that promote and support men's and boys' involvement  in care giving and raising awareness on sexual and reproductive health rights.

Applauding the measures instituted by the Kenyans government to ban corporal punishment, Child Rights and Positive Parenting Manager Wessel Berg said states should pass laws to ban physical punishment of children.

"States should implement laws hat promote non-violent child rearing that involves father, mothers and social workers," said Mr Berg. MenCare's engages men and women around the world to become active parents and agents of positive change in communities.