A More Equal Future: A MenCare Manual to Engage Fathers to Prevent Child Marriage in India

This manual was developed as part of a collaboration between World Vision and Promundo to engage fathers in the prevention of child marriage. It was developed as a response to strong societal and cultural resistance that supports the continuation of child marriage in communities where World Vision works and is a concrete tool to engage men as fathers and allies in women’s and girls’ empowerment. With a skilled facilitator, the tool allows the provision of a safe and constructive space for men to reflect on and redefine what it means to be men and fathers in their communities. Many of the activities in this manual were adapted from the Program P (“P” for “padre” or “father” in Spanish) Manual developed by Promundo and their partners. If the facilitator or program coordinator wishes to deepen his/her understanding of some of the activities, or gain more background on fatherhood in general, the Program P manual is a good place to seek out those resources. The mission of the fathers’ groups is to promote gender equality in the home and prevent child marriage. In these groups, men, their daughters, and their partners will critically reflect on the cultural and gender norms that serve as obstacles to men’s participation as involved fathers and perpetuate the devaluation of girls. The expected outcome is that these critical reflections will translate into positive change for their families and communities.