The Embassy of Sweden in Bangladesh, in collaboration with UNDP, UNFPA and UN Women launched a photography exhibition titled “Bangladeshi and Swedish Baba” Thursday at the Gulshan Lake Park, Dhaka.
A celebration of fatherhood, the exhibition is an effort to challenge traditional gender stereotypes while highlighting the evolving role of fathers in families and communities, the embassy said.
The exhibition featuring 23 photographs of selected Bangladeshi fathers showcasing their role as active caregivers involved in their children’s lives, will continue till 22 December.
This initiative builds on the award-winning concept ‘Swedish Fathers’ by a renowned Swedish photographer Johan Bävman.
These visually compelling stories encourage a reimagining of modern fatherhood while promoting cross-cultural dialogue on parenting and gender equality.
A total of 23 fathers out of 100 submissions were selected through a month-long competition held online.
The jury board included Nicolas Weeks, Swedish Ambassador to Bangladesh, Gitanjali Singh, UN Women Representative, Stefan Liler, UNDP Resident Representative, Masaki Watabe, Representative a.i., UNFPA, Sabina Yasmin, Senior Photographer, Prothom Alo and Saiful Huq Omi, Managing Director, Counter Foto.
“This exhibition provides a powerful platform for sparking meaningful dialogue about the evolving role of fathers in both the family and society. Through the ‘Bangladeshi and Swedish Baba’ exhibition, we aim to challenge traditional gender stereotypes and highlight the invaluable contributions of fathers as active caregivers. We hope this exhibition will inspire fathers to reflect on their role in shaping family life, promote a rethinking of modern fatherhood, and encourage new, more equitable approaches to parenting and gender equality," the ambassador said.
UN Women Representative Gitanjali Singh said, “The 2021 Time Use Survey reveals that women in Bangladesh perform 7.6 times more domestic work than men. This is not just a number, it highlights barriers that create unequal opportunities and outcomes for women and girls in education, in employment, in leadership and in financial security across their life.
This imbalance is rooted in societal norms and stereotypes that define fathering through an outdated lens placing a disproportionate burden of care on women. The Bangladesh Baba exhibition showcases men across generations breaking free from traditional roles, embracing more approachable and involved parenting to create a more equitable society.”
This exhibition primarily aims to promote meaningful dialogue around parenting practices, gender equality, and work-life balance. By showcasing stories that challenge traditional perceptions of fatherhood and highlight the positive impacts of engaged fathers, the exhibition seeks to inspire different approaches to parenting and gender roles.
The launching event brought together representatives from development partners, civil society and media.
The exhibition will travel to four locations in Bangladesh that includes Chittagong, Sylhet, Khulna and Dhaka again next year, further promoting the positive impacts of involved fatherhood and fostering meaningful conversations around gender equality, said the embassy.