Evaluation of MenCare+ in South Africa: Results from a fatherhood - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Evaluation of MenCare+ in South Africa: Results from a fatherhood group intervention Andre Lewaks MenCare South Africa

To promote men’s involvement as equitable, non- violent fathers and caregivers in order to achieve family well-being, gender equality, and better health for mothers, fathers and children.

South African Context

• High numbers of father absence in

South Africa

• Strong traditional cultural and

patriarchal norms

• Well-established link between

inequitable gender norms and violence.

• Almost 1 out of every 2 men (48%)

have admitted to being violent towards their intimate partner (MRC)

• 56% of all murder of women in South

Africa are committed by the victims partner

Father Presence per province

YEAR YEAR PERCENTAGE FATHER PART OF HOUSEHOLD Western Cape 2011 56,2 2014 56,5 Eastern Cape 2011 25,1 2014 25 GAUTENG 2011 53 2014 56,1 KZN 2011 29,6 2014 20,4 LIMPOPO 2011 27,5 2014 26,8

• Women do 8 times more unpaid

work than men

• Women spend more time on

combined paid and unpaid work than men.

• women make up over two thirds
• f primary caregivers for people

living with HIV/AIDS

• one in three fathers remains the

primary caregiver when the mother die compared with more than two in three mothers when the father dies.

Fathers and Unpaid Care in South Africa

There is hope: We know

• Father involvement contributes to socio-emotional

development of children

• social competence, self esteem, life skills and confidence
• Rough and tumble play helps to children to manage

aggressive impulses and to control their emotions

• Cognitive development
• Father involvement promotes independence and

exploration of the outside world

• Language abilities
• Physical health and development
• Problem free pregnancies, higher motor skills for children

MenCare+ Project Design

Parenting sessions Training of health care practitioners

Advocacy and Policy work COMMUNITY MOBILISATION

MenCare Parenting Intervention

• Group Intervention consists of 12 session focussing on:
• Expectations
• Fathers Impact
• Pregnancy
• Birth
• Family Planning
• Caregiving
• Gender
• Non-Violence
• Needs and rights of children
• Division of caregiving
• Final reflections

Evaluation Methodology

• 1550 participants in the Parenting groups.
• Quantitative analysis of pre and post questionnaires

collected data about Gender Equitable Attitudes (GEA / GEM).

• Qualitative interviews
• Focus group discussions with 21 participants
• 35 telephonic interviews

Main Findings

• Increase in gender equitable attitudes.

‘A woman’s most important role is to take care of her home and cook for her family’

• PRE:

78.3% agrees

• POST:

58.7% agrees

• “…for me I will say this programme helped me because from the

background that I grew up in, that was a very traditional background, where we believe a man can’t cook, a man cannot even look in the pot, bath children… But when I came to the programme I had to learn and cut those bounds, nowadays I can cook, I stay with the children at home, I can do everything and I am not ashamed of it.” Focus Group Discussion Participant

Results

‘Men who use contraceptives seem weaker than men who do not’

• PRE:

30.7% agrees

• POST:

16% agrees ‘Condoms are unreliable for pregnancy’

• PRE:

45.6% agrees

• POST:

38.5% agrees ‘Condoms ruin the sex act’

• PRE:

47.3% agrees

• POST:

29.8% agrees

We found

▪ Significant increase of gender attitude, t(96)= 4.79, p < .00, r = .44

• PRE (M= 2.11, SD= 0.57)
• POST (M= 2.31, SD= 0.39)

▪ Significant increase of attitude towards contraceptives, t(96)= 4.79,

p < .001, r = .33

• PRE (M= 3.42, SD= 0.65)
• POST (M= 3.68, SD= 0.69)

We also found

• Increase condom use amongst couples
• Men are more supportive towards their partners during

prenatal visits

• Changed views of what it is to be a father
• Slight decrease in substance abuse
• Increased involvement in caregiving

Challenges

• Culture and tradition is still an issue
• Access to contraceptives
• Male friendly health facilities

Thank you!

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