‘Outsourcing’ of children is a no no
JOHANNESBURG – It has become fashionable for men to outsource their responsibility to care and support their own children to government.
Gender equality starts at home when men start taking responsibility by supporting and maintaining their own children.
This according to the deputy minister of the Department of Social Development, Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu in her remarks on the occasion of the inaugural National Men’s Parliament.
The event coincided with the annual International Men’s Day, which is commemorated on 19 November across the world.
The day is earmarked to celebrate positive male role models who are making a positive difference and also to raise awareness of issues that men face on a global scale.
Bogopane-Zulu lashed out at men who failed to care for their children and shifted their responsibilities to the government.
She said it had become fashionable for men to outsource their responsibility of caring and supporting their own children to the government by registering their children for social grants.
The government can only do so much to support vulnerable children but cannot replace or fill fathers’ responsibilities towards their own children, she added.
“We call on this National Men’s Parliament to confront gender stereotypes and to reinforce messages that encourage fathers to take active roles in their own children’s lives.”
The National Men’s Parliament is part of Men Championing Change, an initiative of the social development department in partnership with the South African National Aids Council and the Takuwani Riime: Men’s Movement.
The Men Championing Change programme is a social and behaviour change initiative targeting men and boys with the goal to address the twin challenges of HIV and the scourge of gender-based violence in South Africa.
Bogopane-Zulu highlighted a number of initiatives under this programme that her department would be implementing including a parenting programme, shelters for men and a boys’ dialogue among others.
Details: Lumka Oliphant LumkaO@dsd.gov.za
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