Program P (“P” for “padre” in Spanish and “pai” in Portuguese, meaning “father”) provides concrete strategies and activities to engage men globally in active fatherhood from their partner’s pregnancies through their children’s early years. It identifies best practices for engaging men in fatherhood and caregiving; in maternal, newborn, and child health; and in the prevention of violence against women and children. It is designed for use by health workers, social activists, nonprofit organizations and NGOs, educators, and other individuals and institutions that aim to use “men as caregivers” as a starting point, with the goal of improving family well-being and promoting gender equality.
Program P was originally authored by the Red de Masculinidad por la Igualdad de Género (REDMAS), Equimundo, and Fundación CulturaSalud/EME in English, and the versions in Spanish, Portuguese, and Arabic have been adapted by MenCare partners to their specific cultures and contexts.
Results from a randomized controlled trial of an adaptation of Program P in Rwanda reveal that almost two years after participating in the program, men are nearly half as likely to use violence against their female partners and spend almost one hour more per day doing household chores. Qualitative results from Program P’s implementation have also shown positive changes in the lives of men and their families.