SEP has primarily worked with mothers of children with disabilities as they are the ones coming for therapy and workshops. Fathers are hardly involved in the interventions and often are blamed not to show any interest or commitment to the progress of the child. SEP decided to address this problem and started father forums in 5 communities. Through these forums, SEP observed many misconceptions. The facilitators learned that most fathers are unaware of their child’s disability and that they strongly adhere to cultural beliefs about the causes of disabilities.

Fathers who have a child with a disability for the first time often feel guilty or angry, and blame the mother for ‘biological failure’. Unfortunately, fathers often abandon the family or neglect the child with a disability, leaving the mothers, sometimes rejected, to take on all the responsibility.

This program is designed to support the fathers of selected partner organizations offering psychosocial support and sharing knowledge about disabilities. The fathers experience stress due to problems with acceptance and stigmatization. Initial experiences show that fathers need this platform to share their emotions and experiences. It promotes their own psychosocial well-being and their acceptance process, which has an impact on their relationship with their child and partner.

Why are Father Forums important?

Hosting father forums helps build stronger families and, by extension, healthier communities. These forums encourage shared responsibility in childcare and household roles, challenging stereotypes that only mothers are primary caregivers. By promoting equality and balance within families, father forums foster active fatherhood, which in turn contributes significantly to better educational, behavioural, emotional and social outcomes for children.