Contextualising Gender-Responsive Pedagogy in the Home-based Model to Increase Participation of Fathers in Childcare in Uganda, Ghana and Liberia

Abstract

Gender Equity and Inclusion has become a cornerstone for the provision of services to people who deserve it, irrespective of their condition and status in society. This paper highlights the challenges that gender implementers have to deal with and shows some opportunities that have been used to support the implementation of gender equity and inclusion activities. This study is based on Julian Steward’s (1955) eco-cultural theory, which explains how cultural practices and beliefs shape people’s adaptation to their physical and social environment. This qualitative study used ethnographic methodology to interact with communities and learned from them in their settings. Findings show that men and women do what they do due to different factors. While men want to actively participate in childcare activities, their mothers become their most challenging factor. Peer pressure also becomes another strong factor, while the role of older men gets stronger in public but is more relegated in private. In conclusion, marginalised communities that stay in deep rural parts of Africa, where there are limited opportunities for anyone to deliver gender equity and inclusion activities, home-based early learning initiatives have become one way of reaching such communities. For the case of women who may have been sidelined by the nature of being women and deep-rooted gender stereotypes, promoting gender equity and inclusion gives them shared control of resources and decision-making. Culturally appropriate gender responsive activities help to unpack social inequalities, providing space for women and men to gain their fundamental right to contribute more fully to their communities and economies. It is recommended that listening to both genders and the reasons for doing what they are doing in public that contradict what they do in private, is key to understanding their perspective.