Men Engage – new social media challenge encourages equal participation of men in domestic and childcare activities

The period of social isolation imposed by the COVID-19 determined many couples in Moldova and around the world to change their habits at home. The social media platforms revealed many examples of men, who got involved, along with their partners, in-home, and child care activities. They participated in cooking activities, changing diapers, or washing dishes. 

These examples are worth being widely promoted in the society, to inspire as many men as possible to take on this positive behavior; so that gender equality and equal involvement of partners in the household and other activities become a social norm.

Statistics show that women devote more time than men to unpaid household work such as cooking, washing dishes, or cleaning. Official data also reveal that mothers spend more time with their children: the mothers' participation rate is 21.4 percent and fathers’ - just 10.4 percent. 

UNFPA Moldova and UN Women Moldova are willing to balance these figures by promoting positive examples of men's involvement and encouraging all men to step up at home.

One of the first stories is Vasile Codreanu, father of Bianca (10 years) and Alex (5 years). 

"Before the pandemic, I didn't get as involved in housework, I spent a lot of time at work”, he says. Now I'm getting more involved. I took over the online education with the children and the washing of dishes. We want a healthy society, and men/fathers are equally responsible, not just now, in a period of pandemic and isolation. Children copy our behaviors, the way we behave now, so will they behave in their families," the man says.

The examples of the men involved are many and we will make them public on our pages (Facebook/Instagram) over the next few weeks. You can follow us on UNFPA Moldova and UN Women Moldova. Also you will find information about the benefits of equal involvement of men for family and society.

We ask you to post photos or videos to your personal Facebook or Instagram pages, accompanied by the hashtag #bărbațiimplicați (#menengage), and become promoters of change. 

Make sure the photos are loaded with the public view option so they can be found and republished on our pages.

Note: "Men engage" is an awareness-raising initiative on the importance of equal involvement of men in household responsibilities and childcare in the context of Covid-19, launched by UNFPA Moldova and UN Women Moldova as part of the UN Moldova response to the pandemic.