MEN in FAMILIES and FAMILYWORLD and FAMILIES CHANGING in a MEN in POLICY MEN in FAMILIES and Family Policy in a Changing World
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E c o n o m i c & Social Affairs MEN IN FAMILIES AND FAMILY POLICY INMEN A INCHANGING FAMILIES AND WORLDFAMILY MEN IN FAMILIES and Family Policy in a Changing World USD 40 ISBN 978-92-1-130306-3 Printed at the United Nations, New York United Nations 11-21898—March 2011—890 United Nations JUDY O’HARA 1 212 963-8706 11-218989 216 pages .466” spine 4 colour ST/ESA/322 Department of Economic and Social Affairs Division for Social Policy and Development Men in FaMilies and Family Policy in a Changing World asdf United Nations New York, 2011 ii Men in Families and Family Policy in a Changing World DESA The Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat is a vital interface between global policies in the economic, social and environmental spheres and national action. The Department works in three main interlinked areas: it compiles, generates and analyses a wide range of economic, social and environmental data and information on which Members States of the United Nations draw to review common problems and to take stock of policy options; it facilitates the negotiations of Member States in many intergovernmental bodies on joint courses of action to ad- dress ongoing or emerging global challenges; and it advises interested Governments on the ways and means of translating policy frameworks developed in United Nations conferences and summits into programmes at the country level and, through technical assistance, helps build national capacities. Note The views expressed in the present publication are those of the authors and do not imply the expression of any opinion on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations, particularly concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The assignment of countries or areas to specific groupings is for analytical convenience and does not imply any assumption regarding political or other affiliation of countries or territories by the United Nations. The designa- tions “developed” and “developing” are intended for statistical and analytical convenience and do not necessarily express a judgment about the stage reached by a particular country or area in the development process. United Nations publication Sales No. E.11.IV.1 ISBN 978-92-1-130306-3 Copyright © United Nations, 2011 All rights reserved. Printed by the United Nations, New York This publication is available for download at http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/ family/docs/men-in-families.pdf Photo credits: UNICEF iii Contents Page Introduction. 1 Chapter overviews and policy implications . 3 I. Men, families, gender equality and care work. 9 Introduction . 11 The changing dynamics of families and the role of men . 13 Men, masculinities and families: changing manhood, manhood in crisis, transition to manhood . 20 Trends in engaging men in sexual and reproductive health . 24 Poverty alleviation strategies and men’s roles in families . 27 Social policy implications for the United Nations, national Governments, local government, civil society and research . 32 Final comments . 37 References . 40 II. Fatherhood and families. 47 Introduction . 49 Fathers and fathering, and other male family figures in different cultural contexts . 50 Fathering and children’s development . 56 Fathering across generations . 60 Fathering and the work-family balance . 63 Mental and physical health of fathers . 67 Implications for social and family policy . 69 Last word . 73 References . 74 III. Fathers in challenging family contexts: a need for engagement . 85 Introduction . 87 Fathers separated from their children . 88 When fathers hurt or do not help: domestic violence, drug and alcohol dependency and other problems related to men in families . 100 Fathering issues related to major social groups . 105 Policy recommendations . 113 References . 116 IV. Migration, families and men in families. 125 World migration and population mobility . 127 Families and migration . 131 iv Men in Families and Family Policy in a Changing World Men, fatherhood and migration . 137 Remittances . 139 Policies and programmes: what can be done? . 145 Concluding remarks . 156 References . 157 V. Men, families and HIV and AIDS. 163 Introduction . 165 HIV as a “family disease” . 167 Involvement of men in families affected by HIV and AIDS . 171 Men in high-risk groups as members of affected families . 182 HIV/AIDS and the extended family . 184 The impact of perceptions on policy and practice . 185 Policy implications . 188 Conclusions for social and family policy . 194 References . 195 Boxes I.1 Jamaica: adaptive strategies for men’s participation in the lives of children in the face of income instability . 21 I.2 South Africa: engaging fathers to financially support their children . 31 I.3 Norway: paternity leave and gender-equality policies . 35 I.4 Brazil: engaging men in childbirth onward . 35 I.5 Sweden: paternity and maternity leave . 36 I.6 Chile: increasing men’s participation during childbirth . 37 III.1 From fathers’ rights to children’s welfare: child custody in England . 91 III.2 The debate over shared parenting after separation . 93 III.3 A new shared parenting policy and programme in Australia . 93 III.4 Law for responsible paternity (Ley de Paternidad Responsable), Costa Rica, 2001 . 97 III.5 Information for unmarried parents as provided by the paternity establishment programme in Richmond, Virginia . 99 III.6 Responsible Fatherhood Program for Incarcerated Dads, Fairfax County, Virginia . 101 III.7 Evaluation of the Transition to Fatherhood for Young Fathers Program (New York) . 108 III.8 The right to flexible working arrangements . 111 IV.1 Types of family migration . 131 IV.2 Transnational families living in between . 135 IV.3 Migration, gender and remittances . 142 IV.4 Reforming migration policy to maximize its impact on human development . 148 IV.5 Policies and programmes of the Philippines for departing migrant workers . 150 IV.6 Family reunification conundrums . 151 IV.7 The International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families . 152 IV.8 Housing migrant workers and their families . 153 v IV.9 Programmes in support of migrant families . 154 IV.10 Migration, HIV and AIDS* in Southern Africa . 155 V.1 Programme H: Brazil . 189 V.2 The Yaari-Dosti programme: India . 190 V.3 Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo de la Educación: Chile . 191 Tables I.1 The father’s early involvement in the life of the child, data from Brazil, Chile, Croatia, India and Mexico . 16 I.2 Unemployment rates of young men aged (15-24), various regions 1997, 2006 and 2007 . 23 I.3 Men’s fertility preferences in selected countries, 1991-2006 . 26 I.4 Paid paternity and maternity leave, selected countries, various regions . 38 II.1 Female labour market participation in selected countries, 1980-2008 . 53 II.2 Changes in the fertility rate in selected countries, various regions, 1970-2007 . 55 II.3 Differences in life expectancy of men and women, selected countries by region, over the period 2000-2005 . 61 II.4 Labour migration: estimated number of international migrants at mid year, 1960-2005 . 64 III.1 Distribution of children aged 0-14 by living arrangements, 2007 . 90 III.2 Prevalence rates of intimate partner violence against women and men, Canada, United Kingdom and United States, 1995-1996, 2004 and 2004-2005 . 101 IV.1 Average remittances sent by males and females per year, by sending country and receiving region . 142 V.1 Women, men and children living with HIV . 167 Figures III.1 Increasing crude divorce rates in all OECD countries from 1970 to 2006-2007 (number of divorces per 1000 population) . 88 IV.1 Women’s share in total immigration, OECD countries, 1990 and 2000 . 129 IV. 2 Flows of international remittances primarily from developed to developing countries, 2006-2007 . 141 1 Introduction Over the past two decades, major United Nations world conferences and summits have called attention to the issues affecting families, including family roles and responsi- bilities, gender equality and men’s greater participation in family life. As noted by the General Assembly resolutions, the family-related provisions of the outcomes of those conferences as well as their follow-up processes continue to provide policy guidance on ways to strengthen family-centered components of policies and programmes as part of an integrated comprehensive approach to development. The 1995 World Summit for Social Development acknowledged the importance of providing help to families so as to enable them to perform their supporting, educat- ing and nurturing roles. Such support involves enacting social policies and programmes designed to meet the needs of families and their individual members, including those promoting equal partnership between women and men in the family and ensuring opportunities for family members to understand and meet their social obligations. The General Assembly resolution on the Follow-up to the tenth anniversary of the International Year of the Family and beyond encouraged “the United Nations programme on the family to support and conduct action-oriented research, including through the issuance of research and publications on relevant topics, with the aim of supplementing the research activities of Government” (A/RES/60/133, para. 3). In keeping with the objectives of the International Year of the Family, and based on existing research, the current publication aims to promote the knowledge of trends affecting families and increase awareness of family issues among Governments as well as in the private sector. It is also hoped that the study will stimulate efforts to develop family-oriented policies focusing attention upon the rights and responsibilities of all family members. Promoting knowledge of the economic, social and demographic proc- esses affecting families and their members is indispensable to design appropriate course of action to assist families in fulfilling their numerous functions.