International Men’s Day is celebrated on 19th November every year to raise awareness about men’s health, improving gender relations and promoting gender equality. It was first organised by 1999 by Dr Jerome Teelucksingh, a history lecturer at University of the West Indies, in Trinidad Tabago.

International Men’s Day 2019: Theme

The theme for International Men’s Day 2019 is “Making a Difference for Men and Boys”. It focuses on the need to value men and boys and to help people who make practical improvements in the health and well-being of men’s and boys globally.

International Men’s Day: History and celebration

Indian Men’s Advocate Uma Challa has been instrumental in bringing about awareness around International Men’s Day. In 2007, she raised awareness about the shocking abuse that men suffer in the anti-male legal system. Uma Challa is the founder of a number of organisations including the famed “Save the Indian Family Foundation” nonprofit based in Bangalore. She inspired Warwick Marsh the founder of Dads4Kids to dedicate a day to men.

One of the major issues around men’s health and well-being in this day and age is mental health. Men with mental illnesses are less likely to have received mental health treatment than women in the past year. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, men are more likely to die by suicide than women. Recognising the signs that you or someone you love may have a mental disorder is the first step toward getting treatment. The earlier that treatment begins, the more effective it can be.

The proposed objectives of international Men’s Day include a focus on men’s and boy’s health, improving gender relations, promoting gender equality, and highlighting positive male role models. It is also suggested as an occasion whereby men may highlight discrimination against them and celebrate their positive achievements and contributions to communities, places of work, friendships, families, marriages, and child care.