Celebrating Men and Boys in Majesty Gardens

A series of interventions focusing on men as parents, particularly their relationship with their sons, will be held in the Majesty Gardens community in St. Andrew on the weekend.

The activities are in observance of International Men’s Day on Sunday (November 19) under the theme ‘Celebrating Men and Boys”.

They are being organised by the Bureau of Gender Affairs (BGA) in collaboration with Men of God Against Violence and Abuse (MoGAVA), AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Majesty Gardens Transformation Centre and other key stakeholders.

Activities in the community commence on Saturday (November 18) with a health fair at the Transformation Centre from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The day will include HIV/AIDS testing and prostate cancer screening; a breakfast empowerment session; and games, such as dominoes, cards and chess.

On Sunday, a special church service will be held at the Transformation Centre beginning at 10:00 a.m., followed by a showing of the ‘Amazing Dad’ miniseries at 3:00 p.m.

The show, which will be broadcast on Television Jamaica (TVJ), seeks to document the importance of fathers, and to demonstrate how Jamaican fathers can be actively involved in the growth and development of their child/children amidst challenges.

Founder of MoGAVA, Jayson Downer, told JIS News that the breakfast empowerment session, from 8:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., will involve about 70 men, who will be engaged in discussions.

Topics to be discussed include ‘The Impact of Fatherlessness in Jamaica’; ‘How to Become a Better Father’; and ‘What is Expected of You’.

Research Officer of the BGA, Nashan Miller, told JIS News that the objective of the activities is to enlighten men, in particular fathers, about the importance of their roles in the household and for them to embrace these responsibilities.

“We recognise that men have issues that confront them on a daily basis that need to be addressed, and as nation builders they need to be recognised and celebrated,” he said.

Mr. Miller emphasised the importance of the celebrations, noting that Jamaican men “are often not looked at in a positive light, and a lot of male bashing takes place”.

“We just want to say that contrary to popular beliefs, there are good men in the society, who are nation builders, who have been contributing, playing their roles, and we want to celebrate them,” he added.

Mr. Miller, who has responsibility for the Special Service Desk for Men at the BGA, is advising fathers to take care of their children in order to make Jamaica a better society.

“Spend time with your children… not just being there as financial contributors but also as nurturers,” he added.

International Men’s Day, which started in 1991, is observed by more than 60 countries around the globe.