Cultivating Responsible, Engaged, and Loving Fathers in Uganda: Processes for Evidence Generation and Government-Led Sustainability to Reduce Household Violence Against Women and Children
Presented By:
Violent discipline remains one of the most prevalent forms of violence against children in Uganda.
This interactive session will provide an overview of the impact and scale-up efforts of the REAL (Responsible, Engaged, and Loving) Fathers program, an evidence-based intervention that engages fathers as partners in reducing violent child discipline and intimate partner violence through the promotion of responsible and engaged fatherhood. Participants will explore national-level impact data from fathers and families, review the program's integration into Uganda's government systems and child protection structures, and examine the role of the REAL Fathers Advisory Committee in driving data-informed decision-making and sustainability.
The session highlights how Uganda is translating national child protection commitments into practice by embedding a proven program within existing local and regional government structures.
Through interactive discussion, participants will better understand pathways for scaling evidence-based parenting programs to national reach across diverse country contexts.
Speakers
Session Aims
- Share national-level quantitative and qualitative evidence on the impact of the REAL Fathers program in reducing violent child discipline and intimate partner violence—and improving couple communication and positive discipline practices.
- Describe how REAL Fathers has adapted to changing needs and environments since the project’s inception in 2012, face of evolving social, political, policy, and funding landscapes.
- Share government stakeholders’ insights into pathways and processes for scaling REAL Fathers to the national level, including how the current Advisory Committee is using data-informed decision-making to translate Uganda’s child protection commitments into practice.
