Absent dads a huge problem - convention
MBABANE – Kwakha Indvodza hosted a first-of-itskind fatherhood convention at SibaneSami Hotel in Ezulwini this week.
The purpose of the convention was to showcase the impact of positive fatherhood parenting in the upbringing of children. The event also showcased evidence, through empirical research, of the impact of the father’s involvement in the overall development of children. It also advocated for shared domestic responsibilities in the quest for a gender balanced society.
The convention is part of the Babe Locotfo (Good Dad), programme implemented by Kwakha Indvodza (KI) with support from the Canadian Fund for local initiatives (CFLI). The project is aimed at promoting the holistic benefits of present, positive fatherhood and to reduce gender-based violence (GBV) against women and children.
Kwakha Indvodza Executive Director Sonic Dlamini, when making his remarks, said the role a father played in a child’s life could not be understated. He said fathers helped to build the foundation of their children’s success, well-being as well as growth and self-identity. He further stated that without fathers in the house, children could suffer throughout their entire lives. “A father’s absence is a significant problem that affects many boys and girls and the worst part is that Eswatini is already struggling with a myriad of challenges that other countries are not experiencing,” he said.
He further said most emaSwati typically lose one or both of their parents at an early age. He also said that at least 20 per cent of Eswatini’s population was considered poor, with so much financial insecurity.
Suffer
Dlamini said the inability to care for children while watching them suffer and starve was too much for any parent to bear. It then motivates emaSwati fathers to leave their children behind. “Even if a mother continues to play a role in her child’s life, not having a father can lead to a disastrous outcome. Other consequences include homelessness, abuse, emotional maltreatment, teenage pregnancy, exploitation, physical health problems as well as mortality,” he said.
On behalf of the SOS national director, Bonisile Bhembe said she believed that male caregivers served as important role models for children, both boys and girls. He said they provided examples of positive behaviour, communication skills and emotional expression that children could emulate and learn from. “A male caregiver offers children exposure to diverse perspectives, approaches and communication styles. This diversity enriches the learning environment and helps children develop a broader understanding of the world around them,” she said.
Bhembe also said it was worth noting that they also provided essential emotional support to children, showing them care, empathy and understanding. She also stated that through the Grieg gender challenge project, and in partnership with Kwakha Indvodza, they challenged traditional gender loses and stereotypes by promoting gender equality that showed children that nurturing and care giving roles were not limited by gender.
Unpaid
Kwakha Indvodza founding Director Tom Churchyard said throughout the world, most of unpaid care work and domestic work were done by women and girls. He said he believed that ‘throughout the global south, women do three to seven times more care work than men’.
He further stated that men who were more involved in unpaid care work and child care are 1.5 times more likely to agree with the statement which says ‘I am the person I always wanted to be’. “41 per cent of children are co-resident with men who are not the children’s biological fathers, however, 61 per cent of men reported living in the same household as at least one child at the time they were interviewed during the times of COVID-19 lockdown in 2020,” he said.
He said individuals needed to clear their assumptions about what they knew about fathers and parenting in general and also stated that; “Fathers feel responsibility to their families and children but often lack the tools to actively participate.”
Principal Secretary in the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office Melusi Masuku said back in 2022, the Government of Eswatini, together with other stakeholders launched the second study on violence against children and youth. He stated that the launch gave them an estimated national prevalence of physical, emotional and sexual violence perpetrated against boys and girls 12 to 14 years old as well as their HIV status. “Allow me to say that the Deputy Prime Minister is pleased to partner with Kwakha Indvodza. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of a Child is one of the world’s most widely rectified international human’s rights iniquities,” he said.