Fathers as an equality driver: time for real Father's Day!

Fathers as an equality driver: time for real Father's Day!

On the occasion of Father's Day on June 8, 2025, the role of fathers in childcare in Austria is discussed. Fathers have gained responsibility in childcare in recent years, but full equality remains a distant goal. As meinzirk.at reports much more than in the past, but the equality index shows that a balanced distribution of family working hours, so one 50: 50 division, still rarely achieved.

Despite the legal anchoring of parenting time in 2004, which theoretically enables both parents to reduce their working hours, this regulation is mainly (over 90%) of mothers. Only 4% of fathers are currently deciding to reduce their working hours, which has to do not least with the traditional role models that are still deeply rooted in Austrian society.

the economic and equality aspect

A look at the world of work shows that the employment rate has increased from women, but about 50% still work part -time. In contrast, only 12% of men are in part -time work. This inequality also has an impact on payment and career opportunities. The gender pay gap in Styria is 15.5%, it is 12.2%throughout Austria. Like The press shows an international comparison study that brings great advantages-not only for the fathers, but also for the mothers and the development Children.

Research shows that fathers who are actively involved in childcare not only reduce the psychological pressure of mothers, but also have a positive effect on the development of children. In families in which both parents share their care evenly, mothers experience fewer health and psychological problems and achieve higher wages after their maternity leave. Nevertheless, only 41% of Austrians support an equal division of parental leave, while over half of the financial responsibility still sees the fathers.

effects of family work

If you look at the numbers of unpaid work, the extent of the challenge becomes clear. According to an analysis of various reports that examine the use of time in a household, women spend almost three times as much time with unpaid care work on average. In households with children under the age of three, mothers do an average of 40 hours a week unpaid work, while fathers only apply for about 21 hours. Women work about 46 hours a week, of which almost two thirds of unpaid work are eliminated. This leads to a gender Care Gap of 44.3%. The Federal Center for Political Education Practice work as women without children.

Overall, it can be seen that the path to real equality in the family and at the workplace is far from being paved. But while today's Father's Day stimulates the role of the fathers, the question of how we, as a society, can support the changes that are necessary to create a balanced coexistence.