A Conversation for Women

Just because we say fathers matter, doesn’t mean mothers and women matter any less.

Why do women matter in a conversation around the positive presence of fathers? For many reasons. Whether through the way they speak about men and fatherhood, the expectations they set in relationships, or the way they raise sons – women are powerful agents in shifting what fatherhood looks like in our communities.

Women give birth to the boys who become the fathers of tomorrow. Wives and partners shape the extent to which a father is involved in the lives of his children. And grandmas, aunts and mentors speak words over children that shape their future views of fatherhood.

And, as a woman, your own father story – whether your dad was present or absent, caring or hurtful – has huge bearing on the woman, the mother, the friend, the partner or wife you become.

Will you join the Fathers Matter Conversation for Women? Here’s how …

Watch the trailer video

Whether you’re a single mom, supported mom, granny, aunty or mentor, this conversation is for you.

Start a conversation

We have created a series of discussion starters for you to host in your small group, workplace team, stokvel, sports club or with a group of friends. Each conversation features a short video, with some questions for you to engage in as a group.

Why women matter FM Women Discussion Starter

Discussion Starter: Why do women matter in a conversation on fatherhood?

This discussion starter explores why women matter in a conversation about Fatherhood. It includes a video and some questions to help your small group, team or friends explore this important topic together.

Family Portrait FM Women Discussion Starter

Discussion Starter: Unpacking the film Family Portrait

This discussion starter explores women's different views about fatherhood. It uses the Fathers Matter film Family Portrait and some questions to help your small group, team or friends explore this important topic together.

Host a Women’s Conversation Workshop

Our Heartlines community mobilisation team hosts 2–3 hour workshops for large groups of women. If you’d like to host a workshop, complete the form below and our team will be in touch.

Click here for the form

Our resource for connect groups, Fathers Matter: A Conversation for Women is currently in pilot phase. This resource allows small groups of women to engage in a deeper conversation around our own father stories and the role women play in the fathering conversation. It includes three core sessions, and some standalone/ elective sessions. The resource is available for Christian and generic women's small groups.

Sessions include:

Why fathers matter for women
Understanding your own father story
For single moms
Co-parenting 
The father wound
The wound of a child
Money and fathering

Sign up to be notified when this resource is available.

Click here to sign up

Making of the resource

Get more resources

ECD Toolkit: Written Guide

We developed this toolkit to support ECD practitioners in their essential work investing in the lives and education of children. This resource can help encourage increased father participation in early learning. There are also short animated videos available to go with the guide.

Amplifying children's unfiltered perspectives on fatherhood

This is a powerful report about children’s perspectives on fatherhood in South Africa. It offers unique insights into how children between the ages of 10 and 16 perceive “good” and “bad” fathers and highlights the impact of father absence on youth behaviours and social dynamics.

Films Discussion Guide

This discussion guide can be used to explore the themes of fatherhood in South Africa from the Heartlines Fathers Matter Film Series. Each film is a deeply moving and inspiring drama that explores the complexities of fatherhood in South Africa today, where most children grow up in homes without their biological fathers.

Fathers Matter