On Father’s Day, we’re celebrating fathers who stand for equality and who know the value of care.
One year ago, MenCare launched the first State of the World’s Fathers report, a landmark analysis of data that revealed what fatherhood really looks like around the world. It highlighted the crucial role fathers can play in advancing women’s empowerment and promoting children’s development and well-being – and the benefits that caregiving has for men as well.
The report launched in 11 cities around the world, but that was only the beginning. Over the past 12 months, its impact has truly spread across the globe. Not only do we now know about the global state of men’s caregiving, but, thanks to our partners, we also know much more. National and regional reports have been produced around the world, from Africa, Australia, the Balkans, and Brazil to the Netherlands, Portugal, and the United States – with others on the way. These have highlighted the differences in fatherhood across each country and context, but even more so, the universality.
With translations of State of the World’s Fathers into more than seven languages and media coverage in over 25 countries across five continents, we know the message is getting out and people are joining in. Forty countries – more than ever before – are now part of the global MenCare movement.
MenCare partners have encouraged leaders, policymakers, businesses, and individuals around the world not only to ask men to dedicate more time to care, but also to create the policies and programs – like parental leave – that support them to do so.
Today – in many countries around the world – we wish dads a happy Father’s Day. Every day, we encourage men across the globe to be equitable, involved fathers and caregivers.