South African society suffering profound absence of father figures

Father’s Day almost always conjures up a particular version of dads in our society. The media is awash with images of present, loving men helping their children with their homework, teaching them how to ride a bicycle, and sharing home-cooked meals as united families.

The lived experience of the majority of South African children, however, isn’t quite as rosy.

According to the Human Sciences Research Council, most children in South Africa — over 60% — don’t live with their biological fathers. And 20% only have contact with their biological father twice a week. This isn’t to suggest that they don’t have other male figures in their lives, but it does point to an imbalance in the distribution of parental responsibilities. The reasons behind this are complex, and the consequences are far-reaching.