Role of fathers, husbands and partners is often invisible and still characterized by gender imbalance, especially when talking about taking care of children and housework, said Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, Brankica Janković, at the opening of global meeting of “MenCare” network in Belgrade.

She accented that positive inclusion of men in lives of their partners and children creates global opportunity for equality and brings benefit to women and children, but also to men themselves.

Engagement of men as involved fathers can lead to mother and child health improvement, stronger and more equal partner relations, decrease of violence against women and children, said Commissioner and added that there is a change, notable from the practice of institution of Commissioner, that fathers address it more frequently when in situation to be discriminated, which was not the case before.

Commissioner presented the example of discrimination of a father who was denied to stay in the hospital with his child and outcome of this was the recommendation of Commissioner to the hospital to change their decision and allow both parents to stay in hospital as companions.

Also, in the Annual report, Commissioner recommended that the Law on Financial Support to Families with Children should be amended, especially regarding provisioning of fathers right to receive parental allowance if mother doesn’t have citizenship of Republic of Serbia, better definition of persons who can receive allowance during the maternity leave and leave for child care, as well as improvement of other provisions of this law in order to achieve full equality.

Global meeting of “MenCare” network is organized by Promundo-US in cooperation with Center E8, while event gathers representatives of the organization, UN agencies and institutions, numerous experts dealing with issues of gender equality, engaged and non-violent fatherhood. MenCare campaign is conducted in more than 40 countries at five continents.

Speakers in the introductory part of meeting were also: President of Promundo, Gary Barker, Director for Woman Rights and Gender Equality of Oxfam GB, Nikki van der Gaag and Promundo Senior Program Coordinator, Jane Kato-Wallace.