All you need to know about International Men’s Month

The month of November is observed as International Men’s Month and the 19th of November is celebrated as International Men’s Day. This entire month is dedicated to recognizing and appreciating the men in your life and the positive influence they have on you. It honours the valuable contributions that men make to their families, communities, and the wider world. It is also a month to recognize the struggles that men experience, which frequently go undiscussed.

Additionally, November being the International Men’s Month has added significance because it is also the month of “Movember,” an annual event in which men grow their moustaches for the entire month to raise awareness of men’s health issues such as testicular cancer, prostate cancer, and so on.

Early pioneers of this initiative remind everyone that the day is not meant to compete with International Woman’s Day, but rather to highlight men’s experiences. Secondary themes are proposed each year, such as, “stop male suicide” in 2016, “better relations between men and women” in 2021 etc. The theme of International Men’s Day in 2022 is “Helping Boys and Men”.

History & Origin

International Men’s Day was founded in 1999 by Dr. Jerome Teelucksingh a history lecturer at the University of the West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago.

Since the 1960s, there have been ongoing calls for the establishment of an International Men’s Day. These calls then took the form of rhetorical questions about gender equality, such as “Why do women have an international celebration and not men?” Later which took form of declarations like “Men’s contributions and concerns deserve a day of recognition in their own right,” i.e. they should not be merely compared to International Women’s Day.

Interestingly, International Men’s Day, as a global celebration, owes a great deal to Uma Challa, an Indian men’s advocate. She almost single-handedly pioneered the celebration of International Men’s Day in India in 2007, believing in the celebration as a way to expose the shocking abuse that men face in the anti-male legal system. She was arguably one of the first to advocate for International Boys Day. Moreover, the Indian celebration of International Men’s Day is by far the largest of any country in the global village.

Why Is International Men’s Month Celebrated?

Women are widely acknowledged to play a significant role in all aspects of daily life. They strengthen the institution of marriage, contribute positively to the society, and actively participate in childbirth while continuously supporting men.

Without diminishing the enormous contribution that women make, It’s important to keep in mind that men contribute just as significantly as women. That is why it is necessary to celebrate men. And even though this month currently doesn’t receive the recognition it deserves, it unarguably should.

Objectives of International Men’s Month

• Promoting positive male role models, not just actors and athletes, but ordinary men who live decent and honest lives.
• Celebrating men’s positive contributions to society, community, family, marriage, child care, and the environment.
• Concentrating on men’s health and well-being on all levels: social, emotional, physical, and spiritual.
• Highlighting discrimination against men in areas such as social services, social attitudes & expectations, and the law.
• Promoting gender equality and improve gender relations.
• Making the world a better place where people can feel safe and grow to their full potential

What can you do to Contribute?

Every year, global?coordinators?propose a new theme for International Men’s Day, the theme for this year i.e. 2022 is “Helping boys and men”. Men’s societal, physical, and mental health challenges are not widely known or discussed and thus these issues are highlighted during International Men’s Month.

Here are a few ways in which you can contribute during this special month :

• A simple conversation about men’s health can create a safe space for them to become more aware of their physical and mental well-being. Get in touch with our?counselors?for free mental health counseling.
• Celebrate the positive role models in your life. Be it a family member, mentor, friend or colleague.
• Utilize this day to talk about the less discussed issues regarding men’s physical and mental health.
• Lastly, don’t forget to appreciate the men in your life.