“I want to ask him if he loves me.” This is one of the questions a 10-year-old boy will pose to his father after taking part in a short workshop on radio journalism – one of the many fatherhood activities held in five states in Mexico this year. For the third year in a row, Cómplices por la Equidad/MenEngage Mexico has launched a series of activities around fatherhood, with the goal of creating spaces for reflection and for forming closer connections between fathers and their children. These activities include cooking and games, workshops for new fathers, music, theater, conferences, and a circus.
This year’s launch was held at Radio Educación, an official cultural channel that, for the first time in 70 years, has begun to specifically address men as fathers. Over 300 people attended a live transmission of the event, and with the help of a large volunteer-run organizing committee, the launch succeeded in attracting national attention to the theme of active fatherhood.
Other states in Mexico, like Puebla, Hidalgo, San Luis Potosí and Veracruz, followed the launch with different fatherhood activities directed toward audiences in universities, public institutions and the media.