Engaged Fatherhood and Paternity Leave, Key to Socio-Economic Wellbeing and Gender Equality in the MENA Region, According to Experts

[Press release]

Cairo, Egypt – Representatives and experts from governments, civil society organizations, and private sector, as well as UN Women and other UN agencies, came together today to discuss the importance of men’s active involvement in childcare and legal and policy reforms for paternity leave in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, in celebration of Father’s Day.

The event, organized by UN Women and supported by Sweden, highlighted global and regional evidence that demonstrates how men’s active involvement in caregiving and fatherhood is beneficial for the wellbeing of men, women and children, and key to promote gender equality and women’s economic empowerment.

Available research, including the International Men and Gender Equality Survey (IMAGES) conducted by UN Women and partners with over 10,000 women and men in the MENA region, shows that engaged men report improved physical and mental health and state that their role as a father is a source of great happiness and improved wellbeing.

Experts also emphasized the support of men and women in the MENA region to paternity leave and men’s involvement in childcare. “Our IMAGES study undertaken in Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco and Palestine found that around half of the men surveyed wish to spend more time with their children and that a vast majority of men and women are in favor of paternity leave of at least two weeks of duration. Against this backdrop, and with the evidence of knowing that paternity leave provisions are key to promote more equitable participation of all parents in childcare and support women’s paid employment as well, that these findings shall propel us to pursue further legal and policy reforms in favor of paternity leave,” said Susanne Mikhail Eldhagen, UN Women Regional Director for the Arab States.

“A new baby is often met with a tremendous amount of joy, along with physical, emotional, and financial pressures on the family. This is a time where it is more important for fathers to step in and take on their full share of childcare and housework responsibilities for the wellbeing of mothers and fathers, families, communities, and societies at large”, said Ghassan Kasabreh, Executive Director of the NGO Development Centre in Palestine.

UN Women, under its “Men and Women for Gender Equality” regional programme -funded by Sweden-, is currently conducting the IMAGES research in Tunisia and Jordan in cooperation with governments and other partners. The programme is also undertaking an innovative research to analyze and better understand the knowledge, perceptions, attitudes and practices on men’s caregiving and paternity leave from state and non- state actors across the MENA region.

“Employees’ wellbeing has proven key for the success of businesses both locally and globally. As an entrepreneur, I continuously look for innovative methods to increase my firm’s productivity. It is interesting to see the impact that paternity leave would have on the overall level of staff wellbeing and its direct effect on their productivity as a result,” said Mutaz Nabulsi, Chief Executive Officer of Estarta Solutions.

UN Women’s “Because I am a man” regional campaign jointly led by local partners within the MENA region promotes men’s involvement in unpaid care and domestic work within families, a successful initiative that has reached 35 million people across the region in 2020 alone.