Fathers in the UAE share their point of view
FAISAL NADEEM, 40, Pakistani, team leader at Emirates Airlines Father of two sons aged 12 and 17 “I was given a week’s paternity leave when my second child was born. I was really happy to be with my wife and baby and devoted all my attention to tending to them. It is important to have the father around once the baby is born. Men should also be active in household responsibilities rather than leaving it all to the wife. Unless it is something a man cannot physically do, there’s no reason why chores can’t be done by both the husband and wife.
“I do the cleaning, cooking, and when my sons were born, I would change their nappies and feed them as well. My sons help me in household tasks now; it’s a good way to set an example of shared responsibilities.
“Closing the gender gap is about giving women equal opportunities. We are seeing good progress being made ... most countries are moving forward.”
ASIF ASHRAF, 36, Indian, procurement and contract manager Father of two sons, aged 4and7
“Paternity leave isn’t really utilised by men. If I was given a month off, I would use it to spend the time with my family. In many expat families in the UAE, the wife’s parents come over to be with her after the delivery.
“I am a strong believer in all-family upbringing. It is important to have the father around once the baby is born. The mother can use all the support she can get. “When it comes to household responsibilities, there are different scenarios. The mother can be a homemaker or husband and wife can have full-time jobs. Each situation calls for different kinds of shared responsibilities. “The sad truth is that certain chores are seen as primarily a woman’s job. Bridging the gender gap comes down to ... giving women more opportunities and parity in salaries.” KWAME DADSON, 51, UK, software product specialist Father of two sons aged 16 and 18 “Paternity leave for men is a good thing as fathers also need to be involved right after the birth of their child. “When my children were born, I had to take time off from my work. Fathers have an important role to play, and mothers also need support during those early stages.
“I do think there is a gender gap when it comes to household responsibilities, and this can be down to different cultural values. But times, as they say, are a changing and men need to revaluate their views and help more at home. But it can be difficult for some [men] because at the end of the day, we’re creatures of what we know. It will take time [to see the change].”