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

  • A Advocacy Campaign/Project

? Activity Status: Unknown

Key Information

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.


Location(s)

South Asia

India

Government Affiliation

Non-governmental program

Years

2013 -

Partner(s)

MenCare

Ministry Affiliation

Unknown

Funder(s)

Not applicable or unknown

COVID-19 Response

Unknown

Geographic Scope

National

Areas of Work Back to Top

Education areas

Other

  • Other

Cross-cutting areas

  • Early/child marriage
  • Gender equality
  • Masculinities/boys
  • Sexual harassment & coercion
  • Social and gender norms and beliefs

Program participants

Target Audience(s)

Fathers

Age

Not applicable or unknown

School Enrolment Status

Population of interest is not school-aged

School Level

  • N/A

Other populations reached

  • Boys (both in school and out of school)
  • Community leaders
  • Girls (both in school and out of school)
  • Mothers
  • Other community members - female
  • Other community members - male
  • Youth

Participants include

Not applicable or unknown

Program Approaches Back to Top

Community engagement/advocacy/sensitization

  • Community mobilization
  • General awareness-raising/community engagement

Curriculum/learning

  • Gender-sensitive curricula

Life skills education

  • Gender, rights and power
  • Social and emotional learning (SEL) skills building

Other

  • Other activities to end child marriage (not captured above)

School-related gender-based violence

  • Support in and around schools (e.g. peer counseling, adult-to-student counseling)

Social/gender norms change

  • Engaging parents/caregivers of students or school-age children/adolescents
  • Work with community leaders

Women's empowerment programs

  • Advocacy/action
  • Empowerment training

Program Goals Back to Top

Education goals

  • Increased school completion (general)
  • Increased school enrolment (general)

Cross-cutting goals

  • Changed social norms
  • Increased advocacy/civic engagement
  • Increased agency and empowerment
  • More equal power in relationships
  • More equitable gender attitudes and norms
  • Reduced child marriage
  • Reduced intimate partner violence
  • Reduced school-related gender-based violence (SRGBV)
  • Reduced violence against children in the home