Seventy fathers from throughout Jamaica have been recognised by the Ministry of Tradition, Gender, Leisure and Sport for his or her excellent contributions to parenting, mentorship, and neighborhood management as a part of a nationwide initiative celebrating fatherhood and male involvement in household life.
They have been honoured throughout the Ministry’s Excellent Father Awards Ceremony on the Jamaica Pegasus Resort in New Kingston on Friday (June 13), held below the theme: ‘The Energy of Presence: Fathers Who Make a Distinction’.
The ceremony coincided with Father’s Day, which was noticed on Sunday (June 15).
Among the many awardees have been Minister of Labour and Social Safety, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., and Performing Assistant Commissioner of Police Christopher Phillips.
The popularity shaped a part of the Ministry’s ongoing efforts to advertise optimistic masculinity and have a good time male function fashions who’re making a significant impression of their properties and communities.
Portfolio Minister, Hon. Olivia Grange, recommended the awardees, noting that, “Fatherhood isn’t solely about provision, it’s about presence, and presence modifications the whole lot.”
“In a world that pulls males in a thousand instructions, your presence is your superpower. We have a good time males who present up, males who keep, males who lead their households, not simply with phrases, however with love, consideration, and sacrifice,” she added.
Minister Grange mentioned the awards ceremony, first held in 2019, seeks to problem dangerous stereotypes about Jamaican fathers, emphasising that many males are dedicated, nurturing, and actively concerned in elevating their kids.
For her half, Principal Director for Gender Affairs on the Ministry, Sharon Coburn Robinson, defined that the initiative was designed to focus on fathers who quietly make distinctive contributions to their households and communities.
“This happened… once we found that males are likely to suppose that the worth is positioned on ladies and never on males. They felt as if their worth was not recognised, wasn’t seen they usually felt as in the event that they have been undervalued and marginalised.” she mentioned.
“We additionally felt that males who’re working as fathers and males who’re doing incredible work in households and in communities wanted to be introduced from the periphery to the centre and be given the main focus that they deserve,” the Director added.
Mrs. Coburn Robinson famous that the Bureau of Gender Affairs acquired an amazing variety of nominations, resulting in a rise from the preliminary goal of 60 to 70 honourees this yr.
Since its inception, the programme has recognised 282 fathers from numerous parishes and backgrounds.
The choice course of is guided by the Bureau’s Male Empowerment Community, which goals to problem the narrative that fathers are absent or ineffective.
“That male empowerment community consists of males who’re desirous about male engagement… in ensuring that the narrative… modified from males being thought-about as nugatory and fathers being thought-about as deadbeat,” Mrs. Coburn Robinson mentioned.
She highlighted that, in quite a few circumstances, males have chosen to stay actively concerned—persevering with to offer assist, care, and nurturing—even after paternity checks confirmed they weren’t the organic fathers.
Mrs. Coburn Robinson additional emphasised that these fathers stay dedicated to being current for his or her kids, “whether or not or not they’re organic fathers.”
In the meantime, Minister Grange urged the awardees and different well-thinking males to proceed serving as customary bearers of their communities, inspiring optimistic change and management.
“Your impression is making an actual distinction within the lives of your kids and communities. You could not all the time get it proper, however you all the time present up. That’s presence, that’s energy, and that’s what Jamaica wants extra of,” she informed the honourees.
The Ministry intends to additional broaden its male engagement programmes by way of the Bureau of Gender Affairs, specializing in empowering fathers and tackling gender-related challenges by way of training and coverage assist.
Father’s Day is well known globally on the third Sunday of June every year, honouring fathers and father figures for his or her contributions to household and society.
