Equity of Care

Globally, women carry out more than three times the hands-on care of children and households compared to men. The equal contribution of men to daily care work is necessary for full equality for women; for the well-being of children; for men themselves; and for healthy, just, nonviolent societies.

In 2011, Equimundo and Sonke Gender Justice co-founded the MenCare Campaign. Now active in more than 50 countries on five continents, MenCare promotes men’s involvement as equitable, nonviolent fathers and caregivers to achieve family well-being, gender equality, and better health for mothers, fathers, and children.

Research

We conduct qualitative and quantitative research on men’s caregiving, and present tangible evidence for lawmakers and corporate leaders. Research in care equity includes:

• • State of the World’s Fathers (SOWF): SOWF has been published every two years since 2015 and provides up-to-date global data on fatherhood, with the aim to reach policymakers, activists, corporate leaders, and donors with the data they need to move ahead a global advocacy agenda for involving men and boys as part of the solution to achieve gender equality. Learn more here.
  • The International Men and Gender Equality Survey (IMAGES): IMAGES measures men’s attitudes and practices – along with women’s opinions and reports of men’s practices – on a variety of topics related to gender equality including caregiving. Co-created by Equimundo and the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW), household surveys have been administered in nearly 50 countries. Learn more here.

Programming

Our evidence-based programs engage men and women around the world in equitable care work and household dynamics. Our programming on care equity includes:

• • • Program P: Named after padre and pai, the words for father in Spanish and Portuguese, Program P is a group education methodology that engages men and their partners in equitable caregiving, positive child nurturing, nonviolence, and full respect for their female partners. Authored by MenCare partners Red de Masculinidad por la Igualdad de Género, Instituto Equimundo, Fundación CulturaSalud/EME, and Equimundo, Program P has been implemented in more than 25 countries. Learn more here.
    • Journeys of Transformation: First piloted in Rwanda in 2011 with RWAMREC and Care Rwanda, and since adapted in Latin America and parts of Asia, JOT complements women’s economic empowerment initiatives by targeting male partners of female participants to carry out a greater share of care work and support equitable household decision-making. Learn more here.
    • Shifting the Narrative: Equimundo aims to shift the narratives in media to promote healthier, more diverse portraits of male caregiving, and to encourage governments and corporations to see men’s desires to participate as equal partners in care work by enacting policy and other long-term solutions.
    • Industry, Market, and Brand Research: working with global brands who want to connect their brands to healthy masculinity and promote global goals to uplift men’s and boys’ caregiving to support greater women’s empowerment.
    • The MenCare 50/50 Commitment: An initiative to ask governments and corporations to commit to accelerating men’s uptake of 50 percent of the unpaid care work by 2030, starting with 50 minutes more care work per day. Learn more here.

Advocacy

Now active in more than 65 countries on five continents, MenCare promotes men’s involvement as equitable, nonviolent fathers and caregivers to achieve family well-being, gender equality, and better health for mothers, fathers, and children.