International Men’s Day (IMD) is a global awareness day for many issues that men face. It is held annually on 19 November and is an opportunity to celebrate men and boys in all their diversity.
The three core themes for International Men’s Day (IMD) in the UK which are used every year to help maximise participation are:
- Making a positive difference to the wellbeing and lives of men and boys
- Raising awareness and/or funds for charities supporting men and boys’ wellbeing
- Promoting a positive conversation about men, manhood and masculinity
These core themes help to address some of the issues that affect men and boys such as:
- The high male suicide rate
- The challenges faced by boys and men at all stages of education and work including attainment, re-training, stress, redundancy and unemployment
- Men’s health (including male cancers), shorter life expectancy, body image and workplace deaths – plus the health impact of Covid-19
- The challenges faced by the most marginalised men and boys in society – for instance, homeless men, boys in care, school excluded boys and the high rate of male deaths in custody
- Male victims of violence and crime – for instance, bullying, sexual violence, gang violence, and, those coerced into county lines and other criminal activity
- 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. online image-abuse, sextortion and modern slavery
- Boys with no positive male role models in their lives
- The negative portrayal of men, boys and fathers
Events:
ReThink: Leeds Men
Thursday 21 November – 10:30 am – 3pm
Leeds Kirkgate Market, LS2 7HY
East Leeds
Friday 22 November – 12:30 pm – 4 pm
St Vincent’s Centre, LS9 9LF
More events and information can be found on the IMD website: International Men’s Day Website
