Unmarried fathers have rights to biological children

Onalenna Kelebeile | Monday December 9, 2013 16:45

A social worker stated that social services is overwhelmed with cases of men being denied access to their children despite having been charged and paid for impregnating mothers. She said such cases are common around the town and that they are currently handling about 20 such cases. 

'The Children's Act is clear that both biological parents have equal rights on the child and anybody denying the other party access to his children can face a charge of P2000 or 3 months imprisonment,' she said.

The meeting heard that children, even those born out of wedlock, are entitled to their father's inheritance.

There are other forms of abuse exerted by women on men.

Botshabelo Customary Court president Olebogeng Mojuta spoke of a new trend of women possessing their partners' ATM cards. She said that was abusive as such women robbed victims of their hard earned cash.

But men also continue the abusive nature of fathering and abandoning children with different women, said Mojuta. This practice denies the children the right to receive their father's support. 'Forums like this one accords us an opportunity to introspect on the cause of abuse and remedy,' she said.

Panellist Tenson Motlhagodi wondered what rights women normally talk about because ones they are married entitled to all their husbands' possessions.

Micheal Brown, an attendee revealed that he was a victim of emotional abuse, as despite having raised his children alone after their mother deserted, he has no authority over their lives. He appealed for the law to be enacted to accord fathers equal powers as women in the upbringing and maintenance of children.

Many men decried the practice of forcing reconciliation of couples even where there was no hope, saying it always leads to the worst forms of abuse. Women also questioned cultural dictates that say a man's whereabouts should not be questioned. Also worrying was the marrying off of young school-going girls in certain cultures.

In this day of HIV and AIDS, the meeting was told that some men are still notorious of throwing away medical cards once diagnosed with any serious disease and failing to disclose their status to partners is rife. 'It is the same men who chase away women once diagnosed with HIV for instance, while women can stand through thick and thin for their husbands,' said one participant.

Men's involvement in the fight against gender abuse was key, it was agreed.

Panellist Sinah Teemane said men should be sensitised on their involvement in issues of gender based violence. 'The solution lies in their engagement and we need interventions that involve men to stop abuse because men are not doing satisfactorily,' she said. Teemane added that advocacy and mobilisation is the only way to go and regretted that children raised in abusive families grow up to become abusers hence the need to transform knowledge to behaviour change.