NGO wants project on men’s duties during expectancy

The government has been challenged to introduce a special programme for married men to enable them become responsible to expectant spouses till they deliver.

 

Youth participants at a dialogue on the importance of being a responsible father held in Tegeta on the northern outskirts of the city issued the call yesterday during a debate organized by MenEngage Tanzania, a non-governmental organization.

 

Mussa Kiago, among the 40 youth participants at the dialogue said the negative attitude by the community towards men caring for their families was a barrier in making men become responsible fathers.

 

He advised the government to set up a programme to build a positive attitude to men so that they are involved in lending a hand to expectant spouses.

 

Shedrack Nkanga said he was not performing household chores at his home for being afraid of being mocked by neighbours.

 

 “I remember one day I woke up and was sweeping the house but most of the people were cajoling me that I was doing a woman’s job, while some of them suggested that my wife had bewitched me to be subservient to her. But all this happened because of the ideology existing in our community,” Nkanga asserted.

 

Haruna Hamis, a dialogue participant explained that the community needs to be educated and change their mind to accept that even men can perform some duties at home and being perceived positively.

 

“I really want to be a responsible father taking care of my wife by escorting her to the clinic when she is expecting but am afraid of being perceived negatively by the community who may think that my wife witched me,” he said.

 

The Men Engage program coordinator Doroth Earnest said that there are lots of benefits when the father participates in caring for an expectant spouse until the birth of the child.

 

Children who grow up seeing both of their parents participating in taking care get an impression of what they should themselves do, builds confidence and directs their attitude to solving their problems without unnecessary torment.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN