STATE OF SOUTH AFRICA’S FATHERS 2024

The State of South Africa’s Fathers 2024: Changing narratives of fatherhood: What does it mean to be a father in South Africa today?

The third State of South Africa’s Fathers (SOSAF) report confronts the evolving realities of fatherhood in a nation grappling with deep socioeconomic challenges. With fewer children living with their biological fathers than with other men, and caregiving dynamics being reshaped by shifting gender roles and ideas about masculinity, the report offers a data-driven exploration of the lives of South Africa’s fathers.

The report does not just highlight the gaps between the realities and expectations about fathers. It seeks to change the narrative about fatherhood. By examining how care is shared and redefined, SOSAF 2024 offers a fuller, more nuanced story of fathers.

It sheds light on their contributions, struggles, and potential in a world where economic uncertainty, precarity, shifting gender norms, and systemic inequities shape their realities.

From exploring the financial and emotional support men provide to their children to examining policy reforms and caregiving trends, this report is a call to change how we think about fatherhood – not just as a role but as a transformative force for families, communities, and society.

Whether you are a policymaker, researcher, caregiver, or simply curious, this vital work challenges us all to reflect on what being a father and fatherhood can and should mean in South Africa today.