October 2016: Sharing caregiving, stopping corporal punishment, speaking up for paid leave
MenCare’s October newsletter brings you updates from Guatemala, Georgia, Italy, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, the United States, and around the world. Read up on advocacy efforts to promote paid leave for all parents, learn more about breaking cycles of violence in the home, and check out new strategies for engaging fathers in care.
There is a substantial body of research showing that corporal punishment of children increases the risk of broad and enduring negative developmental outcomes. Corporal punishment from parents and teachers does not teach children respect; it teaches fear, engenders anger and resentment, and produces ongoing cycles of violence. Instead, parents must be supported in learning nonviolent, effective... Continue Reading
“Every step I take or anything I do, directly or indirectly, is connected to my child.” This phrase is one of many from the “Father’s Diary” blog, which over the past two months has gained online popularity in the country of Georgia. As part of the MenCare campaign, UNFPA Georgia and its partner organization We... Continue Reading
World Vision Lanka’s Watawala Area Development Program (ADP) in Sri Lanka recently hosted a MenCare family retreat for 14 families from the Lonach tea estate. Before taking part in the daylong retreat, fathers completed a series of MenCare group workshops led by local trainers. These workshops were based on the Program P methodology, which provides concrete strategies to engage men... Continue Reading
MenCare partner Parteciparte held its TranSparent festival in Rome, Italy on October 1-2, 2016, using interactive theater to dismantle patriarchal ideas about gender and parenthood. The TranSparent festival used performance to promote the ideas that all relationships must be based on consent, that care is the responsibility of all, that homophobia not homosexuality is a problem, and... Continue Reading
In 2011 Douglas Newman-Valentine, a 28-year-old nursing lecturer, and his husband, Marlow, adopted a baby girl — and, as is usual for any new parent, needed to take time off work to care for her. Douglas’s employer, the University of Cape Town (UCT), took the progressive step of offering him four months’ paid paternity leave.... Continue Reading
World Vision Lanka’s Nuwara Eliya Area Development Program (ADP) in Sri Lanka conducted its annual graduation from the MenCare program in September 2016. After participating in sessions to build their parenting skills, a total of 150 fathers graduated from the program, modeled on MenCare’s Program P. Family members of MenCare graduates attended the ceremony, which included a special... Continue Reading
World Vasectomy Day, celebrated on November 18, promotes the idea that men worldwide are ready to make the choice to do right by themselves, their families, and our future by becoming engaged in conversations about family planning.
Federal restrooms in U.S. to have changing tables for men
President Obama signed a new law in the United States requiring that both men’s and women’s restrooms in publicly accessible federal buildings contain baby-changing tables.
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