Second Father's Day Celebrated in Georgia
On June 19, visitors to Mziuri Park saw a central event of the second Georgian Father's Day organized on the Mziuri Stage: the premiere of the new song “Father’s Lullaby” by band ARA performed together with the children from "Basti-Bubu" studio. The song was created especially for the day.
This is the second year that the MenCare Georgia campaign has celebrated Father’s Day in Georgia on June 19. The campaign is the initiative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Georgia CO in partnership with the NGO We Care, implemented within the frames of the UN Joint Program for Gender Equality funded by the Government of Sweden.
The Father’s Day celebration is part of a much wider effort by the UNFPA to contribute to achieving substantive gender equality in Georgia. This Day is to emphasize the importance of involving fathers in the family life and upbringing of children.
Men’s care and involvement has a great importance for the well-being of women, children, and society as a whole. The findings of the research Men and Gender Relations in Georgia (2013, UNFPA) confirm that existing stereotypes and established clichés prevent men from taking responsibility and being caring fathers, husbands, partners and family members. It also suggests the existence of strong social standards: the share of men involved in daily activities, such as selecting reading books for their children, meeting with schoolteachers, helping their children with homework, when necessary, and washing their clothes, does not exceed 5%.
The MenCare Campaign aims at promoting men’s involvement as equitable, non-violent fathers, partners and caregivers in order to achieve better health and family well-being and to encourage men to support gender equality and the social and economic participation of women and thus contribute to the harmonious development of society. The MenCare campaign is open to all men who share the idea and principles of the Campaign.
Representatives of governmental agencies, international and non-governmental organizations and private sector joined the Father’s Day celebration.
By Katie Ruth Davies