Educate fathers for better generations
45% of fathers have limited involvement in the lives of their children while 5% of fathers actively involved in the lives of their children
What you need to know:
- EMPOWER. Give children their best by being involved in rearing them. Do not abdicate roles to mothers only, writes CAROLYNE B. ATANGAZA.
International Father’s Day is celebrated every year on the third Sunday of June. It is a celebration of fatherhood, a thanksgiving day to fathers who are the pillars of society. This year, Family Life Network in collaboration with the directorate of Ethics and other stakeholders are using this day to bring focus onto the state of fatherhood in the country. Stephen Langa, Executive Director, Family Life Network, says “We have realised that fathers have abdicated their roles as family builders, pillars of society, protectors and providers. It is time to empower the fathers and to address the growing imbalance.”
Most of the social problems in our society are due to family breakdown, particularly failure of men to provide proper leadership. “Look at the sexual and physical violation of women and children that has escalated in our society. These were rare incidences because there were fathers who protected them. No woman or child would fear being harmed as long as they saw a father around even if they were not related to them. A father was a father to all,” he explains.
Failing leadership, laziness
The saying goes that everything rises or falls because of leadership; in this case fathers have failed to provide the necessary leadership leaving a vacuum. But nature does not allow vacuums, which is why the women rose up to take up the leadership. Statistics prepared by the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development [MGLSD] show that 30 per cent of households are headed by women.
“Most fathers are shunning their responsibilities; they are instead looking for wealthy women to take care of them. Men in the past were proud to have a family that looked to them for provision, now; they have instead put the pressure on the women to bring money into the home. I have no problem with a woman working and providing for her family if she wants to, but these days women are forced to work as the men stay home just watching TV,” Langa notes.
Children left to mothers
The abdication of responsibility is not limited to financial provision but child rearing as well which is a big problem for the child and future generations as well. “Children have no guidance today. In the past it was a man’s responsibility to pass wisdom and guidance onto their children. They taught men to be men. To make matters worse the girl child has been empowered and emancipated when no one bothers with the boy child. The boy child is shy and lacks self-confidence. And we feel this is bad for society because if they fail, it means future generations will fail too,” observes Langa.
Why fathers are key
Studies have shown school-aged children of involved fathers are better academic achievers, get higher grades, do better on standardised tests, and are more likely to complete school. They show a greater tolerance for stress and frustration and are more likely to score high on measures of self-acceptance and social adjustment. In addition, having an involved father protects children from engaging in delinquent behaviour and is associated with less substance abuse among adolescents, less delinquency, less drug use, less drinking, and a lower frequency of negative behaviour such as, sadness and lying. Just being present is not enough; a father should protect, provide and empower his family to become responsible and productive members of society.
The stakeholders are organising events to launch a campaign aimed at bringing back morals, values and character among the men starting with fatherhood. “Starting Sunday (today), churches will use the opportunity to create awareness on proper fatherhood and the mosques will do the same on Friday. We will then have a “Fathers’ Day Celebration and Fundraising Walk” under the theme, “Proud Fathers’ Walk” on June 23, from Chogm Gardens next to Parliament to Kololo grounds,” says
The state of fatherhood in numbers
Further to this an informal survey by “Ideas Factory” a couple of years ago about fatherhood in Uganda states that: -
10% of fathers are unaware of the existence of children they have fathered!
40% of fathers are aware of the existence of children they have fathered but either ignore them or are not involved in their lives!
45% of fathers have limited involvement in the lives of their children
5% of fathers actively involved in the lives of their children
