1. dr. Iztok Šori
Peace Institute
Slovenia

2. Starting Points and Objectives
1. The role of fathers in contemporary families is changing, but gender inequalities in sharing house and care work still persist.
► Information and awareness raising (fathers, employers,
general public, media) and support for fathers to reduce inequalities.
2. Employment is one of the key factors, which affects the involvement of fathers in family life.
► Development and implementation of good practices of work- life balance in business companies; awareness rising of employed fathers and employers.

3. Activities
Awareness raising: website, FB, Twitter, press conferences, leaflet, policy brief, e-book on fatherhood, final conference.
Research: State of the Art, quantitative study (n=489), qualitative study (n=23), scientific monograph.
Action: workshops for employers, workshops for fathers, pilot testing, manual for employers.

4. Who Benefits?
Men: higher satisfaction with life and oneself; better relationships with children, partner and at work; better connectedness with the child (Ball and Moselle, 2007).
Women: equal participation in the labour market; less burden with work at home.
Children: positive affects on social, emotional and cognitive development of the child (Ball and Moselle, 2007).
Employers: better business operation and results; decrease in stress of the employed; less fluctuation; higher satisfaction and commitment of the employed; better reputation at business partners and in society in general (Lewis and Cooper, 2005; Walsh, 2005).
The society: more just and equal.

5. Women and Men on the Labour Market
Source: The Role of Men in Gender Equality - European Strategies & Insights

6. Women and Men Sharing House and Care Work
Source: The Role of Men in Gender Equality - European Strategies & Insights

7. New / Active Fatherhood

8. Caring Masculinities

9. Factors Influencing Father‘s Involvement in the Families
Traditional gender convictions.
Unawareness about mechanisms and possibilities.
False policies.
Labour market and working environment.

10. Labour Market and Working Environment
Ideal worker VS ideal father.
80% of fathers are facing conflicts in reconciliation of private and professional life.
Worst positioned are men on both ends of the employment status: fathers in precarious working conditions and fathers in managerial and leading positions.

11. Pilot Testing Action research in business companies.
4 companies (Police, Public Radio Television, an IT company and a transportation company); duration: 6 months.
Needs assessment of the working fathers.
Development, adoption and implementation of work-life balance measures (informing, education, services for families, working time and organization of work).
Principles: real needs, inclusive approach, mutual trust.
Evaluation.

12. Follow-ups
Adoption of work-life balance measures for all employees and in different companies.
Pilot testing and bilateral cooperation with Norway.
Policy initiatives.
Action research initiatives.