Most of Russians consider that men are able to take care of their small children and do the household chores just like women.

MOSCOW, June 18, 2019. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the findings of a survey devoted to the father’s role in the modern society.

Over the last two years the Russian views of the fathers’ role have not changed greatly. Most of respondents (70% in 2019 and 72% in 2017) believe fathers can take care of their children and do the household chores like women. This stance is mainly shared by women (71%) and young respondents aged 18-24 (90%). However, 58% of Russians (vs 56% in 2017) do not consider it normal when father takes care of a newborn baby, and mother returns to work. Most often this opinion is shared by men (62%).

In reality, families with non-conventional distribution of parental roles are not common. Only 10% say that in their inner circle it is man who keeps house and raises children while woman’s duty is to earn money. The majority of Russians report they do not know such families (65%).

Asked who should take child care leave, women are strongly determined:  63% of them oppose the option of the father taking child-care leave. As to men, 55% support the idea, whereas 42% disagree saying that they would take child care leave themselves.

Russians are divided in their opinions on the father’s role as the main breadwinner: as two years ago, approximately half of respondents (48%) agree with the idea; on the contrary, 47% do not think that being a breadwinner is more important for the father than raising children. In 2017, 46% of Russians agreed with that. Moreover, the share of those respondents who think that the father-child relationship has become more trustworthy than fifty years ago keeps rising (47% in 2019 and 44% in 2017).

According to respondents, father’s role is more important in fostering the following traits in the child: respect towards woman (33%), responsibility and ability to keep promises (27%), bravery and courage (24%), and hard-working capabilities (20%). In case of parental conflicts, Russians think it is inappropriate to restrict father’s access to children (90% in 2019 and 88% in 2017).

Sixty-two percent of Russians point to the media’s failure to promote youth’s responsible attitudes toward fatherhood.

VCIOM-Sputnik survey was conducted on June 14, 2019. The survey involved 1,600 Russians aged 18 and over. The survey was telephone-based and was carried out using stratified dual-frame random sample based on a complete list of landline and mobile phone numbers operating in Russia. The data were weighted according to selection probability and social and demographic characteristics. The margin of error at a 95% confidence level does not exceed 2.5%. In addition to sampling error, minor changes in question wording and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.

Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM, the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory!