Parenting experiences of single fathers in urban Uganda

Abstract

Single fatherhood is a fast-growing problem in Uganda, however most research has focused on single motherhood and motivations for fathers to become custodial fathers in the West Changes in the family structure in modern society have produced different social reactions. The negative attitude of society towards single parent families can generate social vulnerability of single parents including single fathers. This study describes parenting experiences of fifteen single fathers, their parenting strategies and community perceptions toward single father hood. The study used qualitative data collection methods; in-depth and key informant interviews and focus group discussions. A total of fifteen (15) in-depth interviews with custodial single fathers were obtained, three focus group discussions (FGDs) with community members and two FGDs with the single fathers. These were supplemented with key Informant interviews of local, religious, NGO leaders and some indirect forms of participant observation. Findings indicate that although single fathers found themselves in similar circumstances, each of their experiences was unique. Common patterns in the primary challenges facing single fathers were how to keep a sense of a complete family, managing general child care responsibilities, keeping a social recognition of themselves, handling negative attitudes from the community and financial burden. All the study participants admitted that parenting as a single father was not the best place for them and hoped to remarry. While participants were happy that they had raised their children by themselves, they expressed a fear of their children missing the attributes of a mother and hence solicited for female support by sisters, grandparents and house girls although this help never came readily. They coped either by accepting the situation, belief in GOD as the only one to help them or sending children to boarding schools. While stigma and discrimination were not out rightly visible they did experience it through facing a cold reception at community gatherings and labels placed on them and their children. The fathers expressed inability to advocate sufficiently for support from the Government due to being labeled as family failures and for lack of NGOs for single fathers to raise voices. Failure to address single fatherhood contributes to the negative attitudes which inhibits targeted services to them that need them leading to poor child development hence a dysfunctional family.