15
May 2008.
New-York – Kyiv - The theme for this year’s International Day of Families, “Fathers
and Families: Responsibilities and Challenges”, focuses on the important role fathers
play in the lives of families and children around the world.
Traditionally
in many societies, fathers have been moral teachers, disciplinarians and breadwinners.
In many countries, there is now an
increased emphasis on the father’s role as a co-parent, fully engaged in the
emotional and practical day-to-day aspects of raising children. Recent research has affirmed the positive impact
of active involvement by fathers in the development of their children.
Yet
challenges persist for fathers – and for society and social policy. Too many men have difficulty assuming the
responsibilities of fatherhood, often with damaging consequences to families
and inevitably society at large. Some
fathers inflict domestic violence or even sexual abuse, devastating families
and creating profound physical and emotional scars in children. Others abandon their families outright and fail
to provide support. Researchers continue
to explore how the presence or absence of fathers can affect children, in areas
such as school achievement and crime.
At
the international level, migration forces many fathers to often face separation
from their families. Migrant fathers may
encounter a starkly different concept of fatherhood in their country of
destination than what they knew in their home country – and may even be rejected
by their children as they grow up in a new society. The HIV/AIDS crisis challenges fathers worldwide
as it demonstrates the critical importance of sexual responsibility for fathers
and all men. The crisis also challenges
men to become father figures to children who have been left orphaned by the
disease.
These challenges all highlight the deep and universal need
for positive father figures in families. As our understanding of fatherhood grows,
there is an opportunity for men to
re-envision imaginatively what it means to be a father and to see opportunities
to make a difference in communities. On
this International Day of Families, I call on fathers to honour their families.
I call on families to honour fathers for
their important contributions to family life. And I call on all of us to commit ourselves to
building a social environment that encourages and sustains a positive vision of
fatherhood.
More information about International Day of Families.
14.05.08
