Central to the talks and discussions revolving around gender inequality, is care giving and unpaid care work. Having this being said, the output of male unpaid work lacks attention when compared to that of their female counterparts.
Based on the findings of the 2015 State of the World's Fathers Report, we note change isn't impossible, as many men desire to be included in the lives of their children. This is true for many countries where male involvement in care work is limited, as recent findings indicate that at least 50% of men who participated in a conducted survey, felt that they do not spend enough time with their children due to their occupational duties. Specifically looking at the United States, survey results had highlighted that 46% of fathers believed that they were spending an inadequate amount of time with their children, which greatly contrasts and practically doubles the equivalent rate for mothers, which was recorded at 23%. Furthermore, figures featured in the State of America's Fathers, demonstrated that all men and women throughout different age brackets discredited the former popularized notion "it is best if men work and women take care of the house and children".
Having this being said, change on an individual and legislative scale, is occurring. All males can perform unpaid care work through particular social norms, legislative initiatives, and other practices. Through the completion of global interviews around the world with dozens of males who had assumed female-dominated responsibilities, findings had proved that unexpected life circumstances and situations were common motives generating the change in male perspectives and roles. As a result, these men have attained a mind-set that is far more gender-equitable.
Through these findings, it is clear that males can obtain a greater role in care work.
Priority areas for the 2017 report highlight the following:
Gender can not define caregiver and breadwinner roles. Both genders must perceive themselves as both:
- Such ideologies are ingrained within a historical context
- Continued systematically
- Three major features obstruct equality in care giving: 1.) Social and Gender norms that produce the ideology "care giving is women's work" 2.) Economic and workplace circumstances and ideals formulate the division of labor and 3.) Legislative practices systematically embed the ideology that care giving work, is female work, into society
Paid leave must be an equitable practice among mothers and fathers:
- All economical sectors must provide parental-absences to mothers and fathers alike
The primary objective of equality in unpaid care work will be restricted, so long families are perpetually fronted with economic distress or a lack of income supplementation and subsidized childcare
- Feminization of welfare payments and social welfare cash transfers must be eluded, for studies demonstrate parents of both genders, benefit upon receiving such benefits
Efficient parent training that includes men, can achieve imperative aims:
- Reportedly reduces risks of violence, while increases the engagement of fathers in childcare, thus enlarging gender equality within familial units
Time to assume action:
- Establishment of goals
- This report encourages every nation to establish a goal for its male population to occupy 50% of unpaid care work.
- Approximated that it will take 75 years to achieve caregiver equality at the current rate, which is far to slow