Voices of International Men’s Day Echo Across the Globe

PRESS RELEASE

Contact: Mike Buchanan

Telephone: +44 7967 026163

Voices of International Men’s Day Echo Across the Globe

November 21, 2023 – Events for International Men’s Day (IMD), celebrated annually on November 19, were held in countries across the globe. The IMD recognizes the positive value men bring to the world, their families, and communities. The theme for the 2023 observance was ”Zero Male Suicide,” a reminder of the disproportionately high rates of suicide that men face around the world (1).

Following is a partial listing of the International Men’s Day observances held around the world:

Australia: A Zero Suicide Community Awareness Event was held in front of the Parliament House. The event was marked by 2,500 shoes, each representing a life lost to suicide among males in 2022. (2)

Bermuda: The Royal Gazette feted a recent article on “Domestic Violence Goes Both Ways” as an Editor’s Choice (3).

Canada: The Canadian Men’s Health Foundation highlighted the problem of men’s 4-year shorter life spans, and released a new Men’s Health Check tool (4).

England: MP Maria Caulfield announced the appointment of a Men’s Health Ambassador and an additional 16 million pounds of funding for prostate screening programs (5).

India: International Men’s Day was honored in numerous articles in the Hindustan Times, Times of India, IndiaTimes, and other national media outlets (6).

Mexico: Masculinismo México explored how principles of gender equality apply to men (7).

Northern Ireland: Councillor Stephen Donnelly of the Alliance Party highlighted the urgent challenges of men’s mental health: “In 2021 alone, 74% of those who died by suicide in Northern Ireland were men… These are truly shocking, heartbreaking statistics.” (8)

South Africa: A new international documentary was released on “MEN TOO: Male Victims of Domestic Violence.” The film will be featured in an upcoming international press conference to be held on November 30. (9)

Trinidad and Tobago: CNC3 Television probed the problem of male suicide (10) and the national Gender and Child Affairs Division hosted a Young Men’s Seminar (11).

United States: The high-profile American Institute for Boys and Men was formally launched with a focus on mental health, education, employment, Black boys and men, and fatherhood (12). In Washington State, Bellevue mayor Lynne Robinson honored IMD as “A day to celebrate men’s positive contributions to their communities and families” (13).

Global statistics highlight the urgent need for gender equality programs to address the disparities that affect men:

Nearly twice as many males as females are killed by injuries and violence each year (14).
Men are far more likely than women to experience occupational deaths (15).
Men are equally likely as women to be victims of domestic violence (16), but service programs often discriminate against male victims.

The International Council for Men and Boys is working to end the sex disparities that affect men and boys around the world. www.menandboys.net

Citations: