In Jombang, East Java, where patriarchal culture remains strongly rooted within the community, designing initiatives to increase men’s participation in sharing the household workload requires creativity. Many of the activities that are included in the MenCare+ Indonesia (“Laki Laki Peduli”) campaign touch on parents’ personal qualities and employ creative entry points for getting fathers involved in sharing the care work. One such activity is the campaign’s “Cooking Competition for Dad.”
“Cooking Competition for Dad” was held in December 2014 during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence Campaign. There were 25 male participants in this competition who were eager to be involved in the MenCare+ program.