MEN’S ROLE WITHIN THE FAMILY MUST BE MORE THAN FINANCIAL, SAYS DIRECTOR OF GENDER AFFAIRS

Basseterre, St. Kitts, January 13, 2021 (SKNIS): An official within the Department of Gender Affairs says that in many cases men’s supportive role within the family must be revisited.

According to the United Nations’ (UN) Economic and Social Affairs ‘Men in Families’ document, it explains that a lack of men’s involvement in domestic work and childcare is what perpetuates income inequalities between men and women.

While appearing on the “Working for You” programme on January 13, 2021, the Director in the Department of Gender Affairs, Mrs. Celia Christopher, said that financial support of children is only one aspect of support within the family and that it takes more than that to raise a child.

She says that “men have now got to prepare themselves to take on that role that women normally take on because women are now in the workplace with them.” 

According to the UN’s Economic and Social Affairs ‘Men in Families’ document, there is a move towards smaller families and increased participation by some men in the lives of children.

Mrs. Christopher says that men need to get more involved with their respective families, but she is optimistic that change will occur.

Data from the UN suggests that men’s role in families has dropped due to increases in marital dissolution leading to increased separation.

It continues by saying that because mothers are more likely to obtain full custody of their children, in cases of separation or divorce, these trends mean that a larger proportion of children spend time away or live apart from their biological fathers than in the past.

As a means to bridge the gender equality gap, men’s involvement within the family needs to change, taking over some of the workloads from the women.

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