dr. Iztok Šori
Peace Institute
Slovenia
Starting Points and Objectives
1. The role of fathers in contemporary families is changing, but gender
inequalities in sharing house and care work still persist.
► Information and awareness raising (fathers, employers,
general public, media) and support for fathers to reduce inequalities.
2. Employment is one of the key factors, which affects the involvement of
fathers in family life.
► Development and implementation of good practices of worklife balance in business companies; awareness rising of
employed fathers and employers.
Activities
• Awareness raising: website, FB, Twitter, press conferences, leaflet,
policy brief, e-book on fatherhood, final conference.
• Research: State of the Art, quantitative study (n=489), qualitative
study (n=23), scientific monograph.
• Action: workshops for employers, workshops for fathers, pilot testing,
manual for employers.
Who Benefits?
• Men: higher satisfaction with life and oneself; better relationships with children,
partner and at work; better connectedness with the child (Ball and Moselle,
2007).
• Women: equal participation in the labour market; less burden with work at
home.
• Children: positive affects on social, emotional and cognitive development of the
child (Ball and Moselle, 2007).
• Employers: better business operation and results; decrease in stress of the
employed; less fluctuation; higher satisfaction and commitment of the employed;
better reputation at business partners and in society in general (Lewis and
Cooper, 2005; Walsh, 2005).
• The society: more just and equal.
Women and Men on the Labour
Market
Weekly paid working time (%)
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Men
Women
Source: The Role of Men in Gender Equality - European Strategies & Insights
Women and Men Sharing House and
Care Work
Weekly unpaid working time (%)
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Men
Women
Source: The Role of Men in Gender Equality - European Strategies & Insights
New / Active Fatherhood
The importance of different aspects of fatherhood
Emotional support
Financial support
Free time
As much time as possible
Help at obligations and tasks
Everyday needs
0
10
20
Important
30
40
50
Very important
60
70
80
90
100
Caring Masculinities
Factors Influencing Father‘s
Involvement in the Families
• Traditional gender convictions.
• Unawareness about mechanisms and possibilities.
• False policies.
• Labour market and working environment.
Labour Market and Working
Environment
• Ideal worker VS ideal father.
• 80% of fathers are facing conflicts in reconciliation of private and
professional life.
• Worst positioned are men on both ends of the employment status:
fathers in precarious working conditions and fathers in managerial
and leading positions.
Pilot Testing
• Action research in business companies.
• 4 companies (Police, Public Radio Television, an IT company and a transportation company);
duration: 6 months.
• Needs assessment of the working fathers.
• Development, adoption and implementation of work-life balance measures (informing,
education, services for families, working time and organization of work).
• Principles: real needs, inclusive approach, mutual trust.
• Evaluation.
Follow-ups
• Adoption of work-life balance measures for all employees and in
different companies.
• Pilot testing and bilateral cooperation with Norway.
• Policy initiatives.
• Action research initiatives.