Cuban athletes support campaign for responsible paternity - Ips Cuba

Havana, Aug 8.- "The most important world record is to be with my sons and daughters from the beginning and throughout my life," says World Recordist Javier Sotomayor.This is one of the messages that accompanied the Olympic dad contest, launched by the United Nations Childhood Fund (UNICEF) in Cuba.

The initiative, which circulates through social networks since the end of July, invited the performance of the Caribbean nation to predict to the family of the Caribbean Nation at the Olympic Games of Tokyo 2020 +1 and send a photo that reflected a responsible responsible paternity.The results will be announced this August 8.

Like Sotomayor, other athletes shared their breeding experience."If I am a responsible father and give them love, they can grow happy, safe and protected," believes the Boxer and Olympic medalist Lázaro Álvarez, referring to his daughters.

While Víctor Moya, world runner -up in height jump, says: "If I am always for my son, he will also learn to be a responsible father tomorrow".

The action is part of the communication strategy for the "Father from the beginning", which is promoted since 2017 UNICEF Cuba as a whole with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Public Health of the Island.

The objective is to encourage parents to inform them about their rights, their responsibilities and the benefits of a shared paternity in an equitable way, and from the early stages.

In its framework of action is community training and work through children.For this, various materials were prepared.

With these tools in 2021 more than two thousand promoters of the EDUCA program to your child (Community Alternative of Early Childhood Education), sensitization and training actions began in communities throughout the country, including remote or difficult access areas.

Brechas de género en la crianza y los cuidados

As part of the “Father from the beginning” campaign, in its four years the Digital Platforms of UNICEF collect life stories and the gender gaps that still persist regarding parenting and care.

“Juan Carlos did everything possible so as not to miss any of Maria's medical exams before childbirth.In the consultation the couple observed that most of the instructions and advice they gave them were directed directly to it, ”says one of the stories.

The publication addresses how although there are policies and programs to help mothers and fathers, "social norms and structural barriers make men to participate equally in all stages of the raising of children," says the text.

Since 2003, through Decree-Law 234, the mother and father can agree which of them will enjoy the paid license from the expiration of the postnatal license (12 weeks after delivery) and until the year of age.These rights were extended in 2017, with Decree Law 339, to grandparents or other relatives.

However, only 125 parents could enjoy their paternity license between 2003 and 2014.

According to a survey applied in 2018 by UNICEF Cuba on responsible and active paternity in early childhood, only 34 percent participates in the learning activities of their sons and daughters.

Also, only one percent of respondents said to have an integral knowledge of the legal aspects related to responsible paternity.

The “Father from the beginning” guide, published in 2018, is a reference in this regard and for respectful raising.

With the same name, the first mobile application addressed to Cuban parents was also launched, with content validated by the National Maternal Child Program and the Early Children's Directorate of the Ministry of Education.

This tool presents informative and interactive sections for the monitoring of the gestation stage, with information week by week;as well as publications and materials on breastfeeding, complementary food and accident prevention, among other resources.(2021)