International Men’s Day
November 19, 2016
International Men’s Day (IMD) is celebrated on November 19 all over the world. It is an annual international event. Inaugurated in 1992 on 7 February by Thomas Oaster, the project was re-initialised in 1999 in Trinidad and Tobago. The longest running celebration of International men’s day is Malta, where events have occurred since 7 February 1994.
Though it is not an official United Nations observance, UN has expressed its support for the event. IMD is celebrated in over 70 countries.
Main objectives of celebrating IMD:
Focusing on men’s and boys’ health, improving gender relations, promoting gender equality, and highlighting male role models.
To highlight discrimination against men and boys and to celebrate their achievements and contributions, in particular for their contributions to community, family, marriage, and child care.
Theme for IMD for the year 2016:
“Make a Difference for Men and Boys”
Issues that affect Men and Boys are:
The high male suicide rate
The challenges faced by boys and men at all stages of education including attainment
Men’s health, shorter life expectancy and workplace deaths
The challenges faced by the most marginalised men and boys in society (for instance, homeless men, boys in care and the high rate of male deaths in custody)
Male victims of violence, including sexual violence
The challenges faced by men as parents, particularly new fathers and separated fathers
Male victims and survivors of sexual abuse, rape, sexual exploitation, domestic abuse, forced marriage, honour-based crime, stalking and slavery
The negative portrayal of men, boys and fathers.
On this International Men’s Day let every man, woman, girl and boy in the world come together and celebrate men and boys in all their diversity.
Source: www.en.wikipedia.org / ukmensday.org.uk
Image Credit: www.dekhnews.com
