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News : Bahamas Information Services Updates Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM


Global Men Challenged to Take On Greater Roles in Child Protection/Parenting Efforts
By Matt Maura, BIS
Sep 2, 2016 - 10:23:42 AM

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Dr. Novia Carter (centre) Deputy Chairperson of the National Child Protection Council with members of the Calgary-based Bikers Against Child Abuse group during a break in sessions at the 21st International Congress for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect, held in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Male members of the group have formed an alliance with Calgary-based child protection officials to help promote greater male involvement in child protection/child rearing efforts. (BIS Photo/Matt Maura)

CALGARY, Alberta, Canada – Global men are being challenged to take on greater roles in the local, regional and international efforts to reduce the incidences of child abuse/child maltreatment in countries worldwide, and in the day-to-day rearing of global children.

International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN) President, Mrs. Joan van Niekerk, said efforts to involve more and more men in child protection and parenting efforts must be ongoing as men have an integral and significant role to play in protecting children from all forms of abuse, maltreatment and/or harm; in maintaining safe and properly functioning family structures and homes, and in helping to promote and exhibit positive parenting skills.

“Research shows that the burden for raising children in families (across borders) predominantly remains the responsibility of women,” Mrs. van Niekerk said. “Most of us can agree that efforts to get more men more actively involved in child protection and parenting efforts have not been as successful as we would like.

“While we applaud the efforts of those men who are actively participating in these programmes and initiatives, we must, however, continue to push; to find a way; to implement the programmes that will get more men involved in the child protection efforts in their countries and in the day-to-day rearing of children globally.”

Addressing delegates attending the 21st International Congress for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN sponsored the event along with the University of Calgary, Faculty of Social Work) Mrs. Van Niekerk said the inability to get more men involved in these efforts cuts across continents and cultures.

Founded in 1977, ISPCAN is a multi-disciplinary international organization that brings together a worldwide cross-section of committed professionals to work toward the prevention and treatment of child abuse, neglect and exploitation globally. The organization's mission is to prevent cruelty to children in every nation, in every form, whether physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, child fatalities, child prostitution, children of war, emotional abuse and child labour.

The organization’s goals are to increase awareness of the extent, the causes and possible solutions for all forms of child abuse; to disseminate academic and clinical research to those in positions to enhance practice and improve policy; to support international efforts to promote and protect the Rights of the Child; to improve the quality of current efforts to detect, treat and prevent child abuse; to facilitate the exchange of best practice standards being developed by ISPCAN members throughout the world, and to design and deliver comprehensive training programs to professionals and concerned volunteers engaged in efforts to treat and prevent child abuse.

“ISPCAN is committed to increasing public awareness of all forms of violence against children, developing activities to prevent such violence, and promoting the rights of children in all regions of the world,” Mrs. Van Niekerk added.

National Child Protection Council (NCPC) Chairman, Pastor Gil Maycock, said men do not only have a societal/social obligation to assist with child protection and parenting efforts, but also a biblical duty.

“Socially, we have to make sure that men are taking on more of the responsibility to ensure that our children are being protected and taken care of the right way in our homes, in our communities, in our churches and in our schools and that they are protected from all different angles – be it emotionally, physically, spiritually,” Pastor Maycock said.

“More and more men need to be viewed as actually taking on leadership roles in raising our children; in ensuring that every child is seen as important; that no child is left behind; that our children are protected and kept safe. This makes a lot of sense because we have a lot of our young men who are detached and who need the leadership structure that only a man can provide when he says this is the way you need to act positively in society; this is the way you need to wear your pants; that you need to treat girls, women and each other with respect and dignity; that you need to ensure that your children have food on the table, clothes to put on their backs, a sound education, a good spiritual foundation and that it is a man’s responsibility to ensure that his children and home are emotionally functional and stable.”

Pastor Maycock said the global and local call for greater involvement by fathers and men in the process should not be viewed as an attempt to undervalue or diminish the roles women have played in the protection, and rearing, of children globally.

“Women have been, and continue to make, invaluable contributions in these areas. However, for the greater overall good of our countries, for the greater overall good of our societies, we need more of our men pitching in and taking on greater leadership roles especially in the homes, in the schools and in the communities because these are areas where our boys and girls are being affected.”

Pastor Maycock addressed the biblical responsibility men have.

“When we look at God’s Word beginning in the Book of Genesis, we learn that there are responsibilities men have and must play in this regard. When we look at Ephesians for example, it teaches us that men have been mandated by God Himself to nurture children, to raise them and so men have a responsibility to make sure that we are instilling in our young men principles, teachings, that will help them grow up and be responsible in society,” Pastor Maycock said.

“Grooming boys to become men falls on the men. Women can play a certain role, but that is something that is innate in men; that God has put in us and a responsibility that we have to take on as men for the sake of both our sons and daughters,” Pastor Maycock added.

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