“It would be great if we had more time to spend together. If we could spend time like this more often, I would be very happy,” says 38-year-old David Namgaladze, father of 10-year-old Nikoloz and 6-year-old Taia.

David, together with his children, participated in activities prepared by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) for fathers and children at the Tbilisi Book Fair, where he played the educational game When You Were My Age, together with Nikoloz.

“I really liked the game because I remembered things that were new to Nikoloz,” says David. Nikoloz agrees, adding he would be thrilled to have more opportunities to spend time with his father in such an engaging way.

According to the latest research “Men, Women, and Gender Relations in Georgia”, childcare in Georgia remains largely considered a woman’s - particularly a mother’s - duty, with men often relegated to a supporting role.

One of the UNFPA’s goals is to encourage fathers to engage equally in raising their children and to share in the adventures of this unique journey of fatherhood. With this aim, the UNFPA Georgia Country Office, supported by the European Union and the Government of Sweden, hosted a special programme for fathers and children at the Book Fair, which reunited old and new allies.

“When I became a father, I realized a child’s attachment to the mother is innate, which is natural. But a father must actively interact with his child to become as important to them as the mother. Love for a father, like for anyone else, isn’t instinctive - it should be earned,” says actor Giorgi Bakhutashvili, the host of the game When You Were My Age.

Giorgi acknowledges that daily challenges may prevent fathers from dedicating their entire time to their children but emphasizes the importance of attention during moments shared with them.

“I’ve been fully involved in absolutely everything since my child was born. Parenting comes with hard work - when you decide to have a child, you accept that responsibility. Our parents faced other challenges – survival was such a pressing issue that mental-psychological matters were considered secondary; the priority then was having food and heating for children. Today, we can prioritize our children’s mental health and development, starting with equal involvement from both parents. This is critical,” says Giorgi Bakhutashvili.

Research reveals that housework, cooking, and childcare in Georgia remain primarily women’s responsibilities. Yet some parents, like Giorgi Makharadze and Mariam Nadiradze, share childcare equally. 

At the fair, Giorgi and Mariam, together with their child, helped young readers create handmade bookmarks and paint memory frames in UNFPA’s bustling activity area.

“It's good that all parents are involved in playing and interacting with their children in these activities, it's very important. This age doesn't last long, when you're the most important person for the child and they want to be with their parent the most. Because when that age passes, the parent steps aside, and I think [childhood] is the most important stage and period for both parent and child and they should spend it in the closest possible relationship," says Giorgi, who wonders how parents could not have shared childcare responsibilities.

“A parent is both mother and father. No excuse, not even work, justifies a father’s absence,” he states.

Giorgi Liparishvili, a teacher and facilitator at “Fathers’ School,” hosted a game “Mamobana” (a game involving fathers) with visitors. He noted that many fathers knew their children’s preferences, though some relied on mothers for details like favourite books or food.

“Greater involvement requires effort - freeing fathers’ time and normalizing their presence. Many examples are needed and acknowledgment that something might not work well at first, but they can do it,” says Giorgi.

Giorgi Liparishvili believes that for a child's harmonious development, both parents' involvement is necessary: 

“A small student once told me, ‘My dad dressed me today,’ beaming with joy. We must nurture these connections so children can easily reach us when needed.”

UNFPA's friend, writer and TV host Aleksandre Lortkipanidze played Mamobana with Giorgi Liparishvili and scored 9 out of 10 points. During the Book Fair, he also spoke about the importance of equality with young people at the Palitra L publishing house space and also hosted a game "Book Shelf."

Writer Alex Chighvinadze and illustrator Ana Janelidze discussed the importance of breaking stereotypes and the idea of equality in the process of creating children's books on the main stage of the Book Fair. 

UNFPA's participation in the Tbilisi Book Fair was made possible with the support of the European Union through the programmes EU for Gender Equality: Together Against Gender Stereotypes and Gender-Based Violence (Phase II) and Gender Equality for Georgia, as well as the UN Joint Programme For Gender Equality, supported by Sweden.