STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT OF ICF
Dear friends,
One of the most disturbing social trends in modern society is the extraordinary growth of such a phenomenon as the absence of a father in the life of the family and the upbringing of his children.
Unfortunately, Ukraine and the CIS countries are no exception. Today, about 4 million children in Ukraine, which is 45% of the total number of children under the age of 17, live in single-parent families and go to bed without seeing their dad. About 300,000 children in Ukraine and more than 1 million in Russia have taken shelter on the street and about 90% of them are living parents. I would like to point out that along with physical absence, many children suffer from the emotional and spiritual absence of dads. When the father does not want or is not able to build relationships "from heart to heart", he is not interested in the life of the child, and whose behavior is not an example of nobility and chivalry.
It is important to note that the problem of deformation of the foundations of paternity is not a problem of one country or people. It is international and has common historical background in the CIS countries. The crisis of a man as a father is one of the main problems in defining the problems of the modern family.
Example:
- More than 75% of children who are raised in a single family will be in poverty even before they reach the age of 11, compared with 20% of those who are raised in a single family;
- They are 5 times more likely to be poor when they reach adulthood;
- 70% of boys and girls in correctional facilities and prisons serving long term sentences grew up in families without a father;
- They are 2 times more likely to be dropped out of school;
- More problems with emotional balance and behavior;
- Girls are 3 times more likely to be pregnant in their teens;
- Boys - the likelihood that they will be unemployed, put in jail, not taken care of by their children;
- Children receive low test scores and a low grade point average;
- In 1994, 50% of children said their father was emotionally absent;
- Recent studies - Only 34% of adult men consider their father an example.
Looking at the disappointing statistics, we need to understand that behind them is a living child - a person to whom God has given life and family. Therefore, it is important for us, modern men, to reflect on and fulfill the mission of our lives: for our children to receive from our fatherhood, everything we need for full development and self-realization.
The International Center of Fatherhood is a non-governmental, non-profit organization whose purpose is to have a positive impact on the state of the family in modern society through the involvement of men in active parenthood. And the fact that you are reading this message now indicates that you are not indifferent to your family and its future. We invite you to join us in overcoming the problem that is destroying our society. I am sure that sharing positive experiences will be beneficial for everyone.
Sincerely,
Founder and President of ICF
Alexander Marchenko.