Amidst the end of the Carnival season, the endless political bacchanal, and continued concerns over the crime situation, still certain media reports stand out glaringly.After a recent shoot-out with the police in which the alleged perpetrator was killed, one news programme showed an image of an irate pregnant woman stating, "he only buss one shot... de police didn't need to kill him!" Listening to another female express shock at the statement, I heard her make the comment, "where is that unborn child's father?" Who knows?
Here's the thing: very often we hear so many depressing (and true) stories of neglect and abuse by many men who father children. The string of child killings at the end of 2013 saw three or four fathers/stepfathers being accused of the crimes. Then there was the establishment of the Child Protection Task Force headed by Diana Mahabir-Wyatt.However, our society still makes very little room for those real men who wish to be positively involved in their children's lives. The Single Father Association of T&T (which is on the task force through its President Rondell Feeles) continues to advocate against a perceived unfairness by the Family Court System in custody hearings.
Recently, I saw a report that the T&T Association for Midwives has been advocating for fathers to be in the delivery room during birth. These things are extremely positive as at the moment men are told that they can't hold their children in the hospitals until child and mother are discharged.Such work must continue. Regionally, the Caribbean Male Action Network (CariMAN) continues to work on addressing issues such as Gender-based violence and the role of men as caregivers by working with organisations such as UNwomen, and locally, the YWCA.Even as so many negative things occur, we must seek to encourage the positive participation of men in our homes. It will be to our continued detriment if we do not achieve this goal.
Marlon Bascombe,
via e-mail