Past campaigns for 16 Days

Click the link below to jump to the campaigns:

• 2023: Working Dads Survey
• 2022: Beyond Stereotypes
• 2020: The Man Box and All About Allyship
• 2016: Actions to prevent gender-based violence

The Preventing Violence Together (PVT) partnership wanted to understand the experiences of working dads in Melbourne's west. During 16 Day 2023, we invited working dads to fill in a survey. We asked them to share their experience of balancing work and caring responsibilities.

Equal sharing of childcare between parents is one of the best ways to improve women’s economic security, as well as contributing to child development and leading to greater parental satisfaction (1).

However, research tells us that men don’t feel that they can take parental leave or access flexible working in the same way that women do and worry that it would affect their career opportunities (2), (3).

The PVT partnership wanted to understand fathers' experiences as working dads so we could design activities and actions to promote equality for care work in the west.

Survey Outcome: Working Dads report

In May 2024 the PVT partnership launched the report Working Dads: Towards Equal Care, which shares the experiences of 155 working dads in Melbourne’s west. This report sheds light on the challenges and aspirations of dads in balancing work and caregiving responsibilities. The report discusses the importance of workplaces supporting men as caregivers.

Why is equal care important?

When fathers take an equal share of parental leave, it leads to better mental health outcomes for families and in workplaces.

If dads took on a more equal share of caregiving it would:

• Break down rigid gender stereotypes that drive violence against women
• Lead to better mental health outcomes for families
• Enable women to have more access to paid work and financial security
• Reduce the Gender Pay Gap
• Result in more gender equal workplaces

In Australia, fewer women participate in the workforce compared to men. Women are more likely to work part-time and earn less on average, contributing to a national gender pay gap. The reason is that they spend more time on household labour and childcare than men. We know that men want to participate more in caring than they currently do, but face barriers. This report identifies that workplace cultures are a significant barrier to fathers taking on more equal caregiving.

Key report findings

• Almost half of the dads surveyed faced barriers to accessing parental leave, mainly due to workplace culture.
• 7 in 10 dads said their workplaces had flexible work policies, but many still faced workplace culture barriers that stopped them from using them.

How work places can play a role

The report discusses the importance of men sharing caregiving responsibilities to achieve gender equality, with workplaces playing an important role.

Workplaces can:

• Support flexible work for dads: dads who feel encouraged to use flexible work arrangements can better balance their professional and caregiving roles. Leading to better mental health outcomes for families.
• Break down gender stereotypes: when you advocate for dads to take parental leave and share caregiving duties, it breaks down rigid gender norms (gender stereotypes) in workplaces and at home.
• Create a supportive workplace culture: A workplace environment that empowers fathers to take necessary parental/carers leave without fear of negative consequences, ensures respect for all caregivers.

Recommendations for workplaces

‘Working Dads: Towards Equal Care’ offers 18 actions for workplaces to address gendered issues in workplace cultures and bridge the gap between policy and practice.

Key recommendations include:

• Reviewing and implementing flexible work policies: ensuring equal opportunities for all parents to take time off for caregiving.
• Encouraging dads to take parental leave: providing training for line managers and regular information sessions about workplace entitlements.
• Promoting supportive workplace cultures: recognising and respecting both parents as caregivers.

The impact of fathers taking an equal share of parental leave

When dads share Parental Leave equally, it helps their partners stay connected to their jobs and lasting patterns of more equal caregiving are established.

How flexibility for dads can advance gender equity and mental health outcomes for families

When workplaces enable dads to have access to flexibility for caregiving, it means they can participate in a more equal share of the caregiving. This leads to better mental health outcomes for families.

When flexible work options for parents are available and encouraged in all roles, caregivers experience better mental health. It also leads to women having more access to leadership roles, and roles in traditionally male dominated sectors.

In 2022 we hosted an online photo competition exploring the theme of healthy masculinity.

We invited anyone who lived, worked or studied in Melbourne's west enter a photo that they felt represented healthy masculinity.

What is healthy masculinity?

Healthy masculinity means being free to express yourself and moving beyond harmful stereotypes and traditional roles.

We'll be showcasing a range of photos that represent what healthy masculinity means to you.

Submit a photo to raise awareness and promote positive and respectful ways of being a man in the world today.

The photos might include things like:

• Men taking on active parenting roles
• Showing vulnerability
• Caring for others
• Wearing bright colours
• Empowering LGBTQIA+ people, women and children and each other.

Why is it important to promote healthier ways of being a man?

Men can face a lot of pressure to live up to traditional masculine stereotypes.

Ideas about men being tough, breadwinners, unemotional and always in charge have contributed to poor health outcomes for men. These poor health outcomes include:

• High rates of suicide
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Increased rates of violence, including against women and their children.

Everyone should be free to be true to themselves.

Evidence shows that breaking free of harmful gender stereotypes will improve health and wellbeing outcomes for all genders.

Photo Exhibition

"Despite all stereotypes about unhealthy masculinities, men can be sensitive and nurturing as well.'

"This is a special moment. The night before I opened up about my experience of child sexual abuse to another survivor... Incredibly validating. The next morning I went jogging and thought - I'm a survivor, I know what that means now... I fell on my knees, crying. I felt hope and acceptance surging inside of me! I took a photo of me immediately after."

"Men who are dads have a big opportunity to shape gender stereotypes for their children. I like to let me my daughter choose the games we play and I don't mind a bit colour in my life!"

"Clothes are for everyone. Regardless of gender or sexuality wearing a ball gown and make-up is fun!"

"This photo was taken in 2019, when Elijah was about 4 months old. Adjusting to life as new parents and multi tasking to get the things that need to be done, done becomes a new skill. Adapting, connecting and enjoying the ritual of cleaning, with baby in tow."

"This shows us on a family outing to see the Mathilda's match."

"I'm a huge fan of sushi, puns and gender equality!"

"When husbands and wives share the domestic and mental load, it helps to build a happy married life together."

The Man Box

What are the stories we tell ourselves about manhood?

“Enter The Man Box” is an art installation piece that explores the narrative of manhood and what men say to each other to make them a “Real Man.”

This project was a part of Project Momentum and produced by HeathWest in collaboration with Kindred Studios and VU Polytechnic Construction and Sound departments

Update: The Man Box 2024

Published in 2024, this second edition of The Man Box is a comprehensive study that focuses on the attitudes to manhood and the behaviours of Australian men aged 18 to 45.

Download the full report, Executive Summary and additional fact sheets

All About Allyship

Being an ally means taking practical actions to prevent gender-based violence. It also means listening to and believing survivors, and raising children who will continue a legacy of zero tolerance towards gender-based violence.

Being an ally to end violence against women is:

• being someone who supports and advocates for the fair treatment of women
• being aware of men’s privilege and power
• constantly learning, questioning and evaluating what we say to ourselves about being a man
• taking action wherever we can, together with women, to end injustice and create a more equal society
• beginning the journey

Being an ally is more than just saying something isn’t okay once we see it happen. It’s about taking action to prevent it happening in the first place. When tackling injustice, even small and simple actions in your own life can make a huge impact overall.

The vast majority of Australians do not agree with outdated attitudes and ideas about masculine stereotypes, and are ready for change. Unfortunately, there is still a lot of pressure on men to live up to harmful stereotypes and to suppress parts of themselves that don’t fit this stereotype.

Things you can do to be an ally

UN Women has a list of actions that allies can undertake:

1. Share the care (of children and older people) equally
2. Call out sexism and harassment
3. Reject the binary
4. Demand an equal work culture
5. Exercise your political rights
6. Shop responsibly
7. Teach girls their worth
8. Amplify feminist books, movies and more
9. Challenge what it means to “be a man”
10. Commit to a cause
11. Challenge beauty standards
12. Respect the choices of others

The following tips are also a good place to start:

1. For men, reflect on the type of man you want to be, not what you feel pressured to be. Share those thoughts and feelings with another person you know and trust.
2. Make an effort to listen to women more, ask for their opinion, and don't interrupt when they are speaking. Practising this small communication skill has the potential to create real change across all your relationships.

At work:

Does your workplace have a parental leave policy that supports all caregivers regardless of gender? What supports are there for new dads and mums?

Here are some things that might inspire your next steps...

Interested in knowing more?

Gender equality is about valuing and respecting all people’s rights, responsibilities and opportunities, whatever their gender identity or expression. Our focus on gender based violence acknowledges that women and girls experience violence from men at a much higher rate.

Watch this video to learn more about gender equality:

Visit the Actions to prevent gender-based violence page to find out more about 16 practical things you can learn about or do to prevent gender-based violence:

1. Learn about victim blaming
2. Learn about unconscious gender bias
3. Learn the difference between gender equity and gender equality
4. Learn about sexual consent, gender and power
5. Reflect on the effect of gender stereotypes on children and young adults
6. Pay attention to women’s voices
7. Reflect on who does certain chores in your household and why
8. Look for gender bias in movies and TV
9. Find out why we have a gender pay gap in Australia and tell others about it
10. Recognise how violence against women is also a men’s issue, and share this with others
11. Recognise sexism and gender stereotypes in the media, and tell others about it
12. Recognise myths about violence against women and educate others about them
13. Challenge sexism in sport
14. Talk with a man in your life about healthy masculinity
15. Challenge sexist jokes, comments and attitudes
16. Question the advantages men experience because of their gender