MenCare Campaign in Bulgaria

Animus Association Foundation (AAF) has joined a coalition of 10 Bulgarian NGOs, which in 2013 successfully launched the international MenCare campaign (http://men-care.org/) in Bulgaria supported by OAK Foundation.

Project implementation period: December 2013 – November 2016.

„MenCare Campaign in Bulgaria“ encourages the active men involvement in children’s lives with the aim to create a non-violent family environment, that supports child development. The project’s activities are focused as on fathers, as well as on all relevant male figures in the family. In its framework the coalition of NGO’s actively develops activities in the following workstreams:

  1. Informational and media campaign aiming at promoting “positive model of parenting”, justified through the outcomes of a national representative survey of attitudes;
  2. Direct work in kindergartens and primary schools. Elaboration of educational models and methods, which facilitate the work of teachers and other professionals towards active fatherhood through men involvement. This is the activity in which AAF contributes mostly in the project in the form of trainings for teachers and social workers;
  3. Developing a network of partner organizations and advocacy for “Child support and protection policy” to be accepted by private and public organizations and professionals.

The implementation of this campaign is essential, since it puts a high social priority on the meaning of fatherhood for the development of children. The fact that such a topic is not popular in Bulgarian public space makes the project extremely challenging and socially significant.