Change fathers: Caring Men demands more flexible maternity models!

Change fathers: Caring Men demands more flexible maternity models!

With the "Caring Men" campaign, the still low participation of fathers in childcare and maternity leave is currently being pointed out. This initiative has its origin in Great Britain and has now been brought to Austria. As part of the campaign, men's statues with baby dolls were established in public. These symbolic figures are intended to convey an alternative image of masculinity and responsibility in childcare. Chairman Erich Lehner from the umbrella organization of men's work in Austria emphasizes that more and more fathers are willing to take on more care, which is quite positive, because the current world of work must adapt to the changed demands.

This can also be seen in current figures: According to the re -entry monitoring of the Chamber of Labor, only 17 percent of people in children's holidays were men in 2021, which represents a decline compared to 2017 than 21 percent of this role. This unequal distribution not only leads to financial disadvantages for women, but also increases the stereotypical roles in society. For example, mothers earn 960,000 euros less than fathers, which underlines the need for a fairer maternity leave.

flexibility in the world of work

The discrepancy in fathers participation is also favored by resistance from the world of work. Men are often considered “stable elements”, while women are considered “variable”. It is therefore not surprising that the papamonate is often perceived as sufficient. But some companies show that there are also more flexible models. Elisabeth Sechser, founder of Caringeconomy, calls for a corresponding further development of these models for fathers to encourage them to perceive their responsibility more active.

An interministerial working group is now planning to develop proposals by the end of 2026 that are intended to strengthen the father's participation and partnership. This is done in the context of a reform that has only provides for full maternity leave since November 2023 if the second parent takes at least two months. A “Use IT Or Lose IT” model proposed by Lehner could support this process and stimulate both fathers and mothers to share their responsibility in family work.

social perspective

The topic of care work is inextricably linked to the gender conditions. Studies show that equal parenting not only strengthens the relationship between partners, but also lowers the risk of violence for children. The change in masculinity structures plays a central role here: More and more men want to take responsibility in education. According to surveys, it shows that 70 percent of the men surveyed are striving for such a role in supervisors.

The visibility of "Caring Masculinities", which includes values ​​such as responsibility, empathy and support, is promoted by initiatives such as "Men-Engage" and "Male Feminists Europe". These movement are committed to ensuring that men get more involved in the care work and thus overcome the existing barriers. The pandemic has also emphasized the relevance of care work by spending fathers more time with the care of their children and thus developing more conscious use of family obligations.

The discussion about care and gender equality is becoming increasingly important, and it becomes clear that social changes are necessary to promote gender equality. A more uniform distribution of care work not only leads to a better family climate, but also to higher satisfaction and less stress for everyone involved. For this reason, it is of great importance that men are actively integrated into the care work and at the same time receive support from labor, social and education policy in order to promote this change.