INVOLVING MEN IN MATERNAL AND CHILD

CARE ISSUES

BY JAMES ACHANYI–FONTEMCOORDINATOR MWG

• MEN ARE NOT FULLY ENGAGED IN MATERNAL AND CHILD CARE ISSUES

MEN AND YOUTH ARE MINIMALLY INVOLVED IN GENDER SENSITIVE BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT ACTIVITIES THAT REDUCE INEQUALITIES BETWEEN MALE AND FEMALE.

KEY ISSUES & CHALLENGES

RESPONSES/ACTIONSSOCIAL MOBILIZATION

Mobilize and sustain positive men’s and youth initiatives that are gender sensitive within breastfeeding Promotion and Protection actions.

• Participate in WBW developments, plan and conduct innovative actions.

INFORMATION

• Contribute to Produce Men’s Initiative e-newsletter.

• Produce and disseminate educational materials to increase men’s awareness in order to support women, especially pregnant and breastfeeding women.

• Produce sensitization materials in collaboration with other Taskforces for men’s information, education and communication activities within the communities.

ADVOCACY

• Advocate for country legislature to give more opportunities to engage more men in concerns of home, parenting and child care.

• Advocate for formulating and implementing maternity protection legislation based on ILO C193 recommendations.

• Promote advocacy on broader objectives of Men’s Initiative at various forums on Code Implementation in the regions and countries with high violation rates.

CAPACITY BUILDING

• Conduct gender training for men’s and youth in the breastfeeding network with existing gender training efforts.

• Promote legislature that gives women and mothers the possibilities to engage in bread-winning jobs.

• Work with Maternity Protection Coalition to increase awareness, particularly men’s role and responsibilities in this area.

DEVELOPMENT

• Promote and expand global networking through the regional and country snap shots.

• Participation in international and regional men’s exchange forums and organize a Men’s/Fathers’ Forum and sup port groups.

• Participate in international and regional women’s conferences and meetings.

ACTIVITIES/PROGRAMMES

• Men’s Initiative e-newsletter is produced 2 times each year in English and French to highlight positive roles of men in breastfeeding promotion by supporting women, mothers and children. South America has called for third language (Spanish) .

• The MWG collaborates with WABA’s Mother Support Task Force (MSTF) in their e-newsletter which carries articles on Mother Support /Men’s Support.

• MSTF e-newsletter is produced in 4 languages, i.e. English, French, Spanish and Portuguese

WEB-SECTION

• Periodic reviews and up dates of the Men’s Initiative section on the WABA website are regular.

• Links to Men’s Support websites, blogs and list of events relevant to the Men’s Initiative are made available.

OUTREACH CAMPAIGNS

There is an on-going outreach campaign for Men’s Initiative Endorsement at events, conferences and during networking opportunities. The endorsement form is located at the WABA web site: www.waba.org.my/men/

MWG ROAD MAP (2011 – 2013)

Interventions•Promotion of health, families and communities’ activities.•Prevention of pediatric HIV/PMTCT as entry point for men’s involvement.•Build partnerships, organize advocacy and networking opportunities with public and private justice organizations on women and child human rights.

MWG ROAD MAP (2011 – 2013)

Interventions•Promote activities across a spectrum of father and mother support initiatives through social mobilization, advocacy, sensitization and community interventions.•Expand Regional Snap Shot on Men’s Initiative from pilot regions to other parts of the world in collaboration with the focal points.

MWG ROAD MAP (2011 – 2013)INTERVENTIONS

Promotion of Men’s Involvement for Breastfeeding and Protection by highlighting the positive role of men in society.Conception of the map of Men’s Working Groups (MWG) in all regions.

MEN’S ROLES IN COMMUNITY

• Decision making• Role as partners/Fathers• Role as Community Leaders• Role as Religious Leaders• Role as Political Leaders

FIVE CONCEPTS OF MEN’S INVOLVEMENT

These five concepts depict positive image of men with the focus on maternal health and gender promotion.•Fatherhood•Care for Infants•Education of Daughters•Teaching of Sons•Gender Promotion

INTERVENTION STRATEGIES

• Promote, Protect and support breastfeeding with basic human rights as an extension of mother and child care.

• Promote child spacing and child development through family planning counseling.

• Promote women’s emancipation and empowerment.

• Organize breastfeeding campaigns with men’s active involvement and media advocacy.

INTERVENTION STRATEGIES

• Male Health Workers’ Involvement to alleviate shortages in female staff within health facilities and the communities for the reduction of maternal and child care cost.

• Creation of more men’s support groups and empower members on code monitoring, counseling and organization of door-to-door campaigns within communities.

• Involve male policy makers at every level including employers and breastfeeding working mothers to emphasize on key supportive measures.

INTERVENTION STRATEGIES

• Organize Father Hospital Friendly Initiative activities within existing Baby Friendly Communities Initiative activities.

• Organize exclusive breastfeeding promotion advocacy for behaviour change communication within the regional and country snap shot expansion activities.

• Activate Father support seedgrant for Men’s Support and promotion of community initiative projects.

EXPECTED OUTCOME

• Information updates are provided to men in the communities.

• Men and women are equally empowered on reproductive health issues.

• Breastfeeding promotion attains durable stage and remains sustained.

• Communication with and for breastfeeding mothers in the communities is strengthened.

• Vital and important information is

Major Outreach Annual Events

January/February – Mother and Child Nutrition Week08 March – International Women’s Day1st May – International Labour Day15th June – International Fathers’ Day26th June – African Day of the Child1 – 7 August – World Breastfeeding Week Celebrations26th August – International Youth Day Celebration25th Nov – 10 Dec.: International Days Against Violence against Women1 December – World AIDS Day Celebration

GLOBAL OUTREACH STRATEGIES • Press Releases• Radio, television and video programming.• Press Conferences• Past Events Film Screening• Workshops• Seminars• Panels and other meetings• Demonstrations• Protests, March and vigils• Photos, Posters, Art Competitions and Exhibitions• Lectures, educative talks, debates and testimonies• Petition drives, public education campaigns• Concerts, street drama, plays and theatres• Community social mobilisation: Organisation of Quiz,

distribution of posters, stickers, leaflets, information kits and other promotion publications