Strengthening Capacity for Research and Policy Engagement in Shifting Notions of Motherhood and Fatherhood for Improved Children's Wellbeing in Africa

加强研究和政策参与能力，转变母亲和父亲观念，改善非洲儿童的福祉

• 批准号: ES/T01492X/1
• 负责人: Sarah Ssali
• 金额: $ 76万
• 依托单位: Makerere University
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2020 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ES%2FT01492X%2F1
• 关键词: Strengthening; Capacity; Research; Policy; Engagement

In this proposal, Makerere University (hub) intends to work with the University of Witwatersrand, University of Ibadan, Moi University, University of Rwanda and University of Western Cape (spokes) and their partners to enhance the capacity of Gender and Social Work Departments to research changing notions of motherhood and fatherhood, and to use the results to advocate for improved family and child welfare policies and interventions. The preference for Sciences in Africa led to a reduction in research funding for the Humanities and Social Sciences, negatively affecting the interest and capacity to research contemporary social challenges affecting the continent, including identities, motherhood and fatherhood. The notions of Motherhood and Fatherhood are at the core of the debate on gender identities, socialisation, perceptions, status, realities and imaginations. These identities are created, (re)negotiated, contested, affirmed and (re)born at different levels; at family/ household level, community, cultural traditional, national and global levels. Yet motherhood and fatherhood as identities also change and transform. Symbolic representations of motherhood and fatherhood become political especially when informed by ideologies surrounding nationalisms-whether national or tribal, subsequently informing ideals about manhood, womanhood; or masculinity and femininity. Research on motherhood and fatherhood globally points to various forms of fathers and mothers. What do these forms mean or how important are these forms to fathers, mothers and subsequent proof of masculinity and femininity? Different developments, such as colonialism, urbanisation, HIV/AIDS, war and conflict, structural adjustments and technology have reshaped and transformed the material and cultural foundations of parenting, and with it the gendered identities of motherhood and fatherhood. Nonetheless, there is a tendency to treat them as temporary and or deviant from the norm. As a result, there is a dearth of research in family studies. With a few exceptions, research in motherhood and fatherhood in Africa is undertaken as a socio-demographic variable explaining certain economic trends and as a predictor of reproductive health and child wellbeing and outcomes. Limited research has been undertaken to focus on parenting and what the identities of motherhood and fatherhood imply for those who perform them, and how they perform them. Consequently, there is limited evidence for legislators and policy makers in family relations and children's welfare to work with. With the exception of South Africa, we continue to see Family and Children's policies and laws which assume that all mothers are married and will have the support of a spouse or at least extended family. Key questions to be examined will include the following: (1) What are the changes in motherhood and fatherhood in Africa and how does it relate to changes in femininity and masculinity? (2) What are the major drivers of these changes? (3) How best can these changes be conceptualised, studied and researched about? (4) How can researchers engage policy makers for child friendly parenting policies in view of these changes?In this multi-disciplinary proposal, Makerere University and her six collaborators seek to explore ways to enhance the capacity of researchers to research motherhood and fatherhood, and to engage policy makers for better family and child friendly policy making and interventions. This theme is trans-disciplinary, bringing together expertise from Gender Studies, Social Work, African Studies and Ethics to generate new knowledge and build researcher's capacity through research and ethics training, doctoral and post-doctoral research support, conference presentations, workshops and publications to mention a few.

在这项提议中，马凯雷雷大学（中心）打算与威特沃特斯兰德大学、伊巴丹大学、莫伊大学、卢旺达大学和西开普大学（分支）及其合作伙伴合作，加强性别和社会工作系的能力，以研究不断变化的母亲和父亲观念，并利用研究结果倡导改善家庭和儿童福利政策和干预措施。对非洲科学的偏爱导致人文和社会科学的研究经费减少，对研究影响非洲大陆的当代社会挑战的兴趣和能力产生了负面影响，包括身份、母亲和父亲。母亲和父亲的概念是关于性别认同、社会化、观念、地位、现实和想象的辩论的核心。这些身份是在不同层面上创造、（重新）谈判、争夺、确认和（重新）产生的;在家庭/住户层面、社区、文化传统、国家和全球层面。然而，作为身份的母亲和父亲身份也在变化和转变。母亲和父亲的象征性表现成为政治，特别是当周围的民族主义意识形态，无论是国家或部落，随后通知理想的男子气概，女子气概，或男性气质和女性气质。全球范围内关于母亲和父亲身份的研究表明，父亲和母亲的形式各不相同。这些形式意味着什么，或者这些形式对父亲、母亲以及随后的男性气质和女性气质的证明有多重要？不同的发展，如殖民主义、城市化、艾滋病毒/艾滋病、战争和冲突、结构调整和技术，重塑和改变了养育子女的物质和文化基础，并随之改变了母亲和父亲的性别身份。然而，有一种倾向是将其视为暂时的和/或偏离常规的。因此，缺乏家庭研究。除少数例外情况外，对非洲母亲和父亲的研究是作为解释某些经济趋势的社会人口变量以及生殖健康和儿童福祉和成果的预测因素进行的。已经进行了有限的研究，重点是养育子女和母亲和父亲的身份意味着什么，他们履行这些职能，以及他们如何履行这些职能。因此，可供立法者和决策者在家庭关系和儿童福利方面开展工作的证据有限。除南非外，我们继续看到家庭和儿童政策和法律假定所有母亲都已婚，并将得到配偶或至少大家庭的支持。将审查的关键问题包括：（1）非洲母亲和父亲的角色发生了哪些变化，这种变化与女性和男性角色的变化有何关系？(2)这些变化的主要驱动力是什么？(3)如何最好地将这些变化概念化，研究和研究？(4)鉴于这些变化，研究人员如何让政策制定者参与儿童友好型养育政策？在这个多学科的建议，马凯雷雷大学和她的六个合作者寻求探索如何提高研究人员的能力，研究母亲和父亲，并参与决策者更好的家庭和儿童友好的政策制定和干预措施。这一主题是跨学科的，汇集了性别研究，社会工作，非洲研究和伦理学的专业知识，通过研究和伦理培训，博士和博士后研究支持，会议演讲，研讨会和出版物等产生新的知识和建设研究人员的能力。