International Men's Day

 Wishing you all on International Men's Day

International Men's Day (IMD) is an annual international event celebrated on the 19th of November. The objectives of celebrating an International Men's Day are set out in 'The Six Pillars of International Men's Day'.

 It is an occasion to celebrate boys' and men's achievements and contributions, in particular for their contributions to nation, society, community, family, marriage, and childcare. The broader and ultimate aim of the event is to promote basic humanitarian values.

It is observed by 44 countries. They are the following:

Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Belgium, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Burundi, Canada, Cayman Islands, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Cuba, France,  Ghana, Grenada, Hungary, India, Ireland, Isle of Man, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Latvia, Lithuania, Maldives, Malta, Mexico, Nepal, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Seychelles, South Africa, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Sweden, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Vietnam and Zimbabwe.

It's liturgical Colour is Blue.

Blue.

It was inaugurated in 7 February 1992,  by Thomas Oaster, the project of International Men's Day was conceived one year earlier on 8 February 1991. The project was re-initialised in 1999 in Trinidad and Tobago. 

The longest running celebration of International Men's Day is observed in Malta, where events have occurred since 7 February 1994. Now Malta is the only country which observe the February date of celebrating Men and their contribution to the society. The Maltese AMR Committee voted in 2009 to shift the date for IMD to 19th November.

Jerome Teelucksingh, who revived the event, chose 19 November to honour his father's birthday and also to celebrate how on that date in 1989 Trinidad and Tobago's football team had united the country with their endeavours to qualify for the World Cup. Teelucksingh has promoted International Men's Day as not just a gendered day but a day where all issues affecting men and boys can be addressed. He has said about IMD and its grass roots activists, "They are striving for gender equality and patiently attempt to remove the negative images and the stigma associated with men in our society".

The 2020 theme of IMD is,  "Better Health for Men and Boys" with the aim to make practical improvements to the health and wellbeing of the male population.

 Brief History of IMD

Calls for an International Men's Day have been noted since at least the 1960s, when many men were reported to "have been agitating privately to make 23 February International Men's Day, the equivalent of 8 March, which is International Women's Day"

 In the Soviet Union this day was The Red Army and Navy Day since 1922, which in 2002 was renamed to Defender of the Fatherland Day. The date was informally viewed a male counterpart of Women's Day (8 March) in some territories of the Union.

 However due to the day's limited focus to historical events some countries of the former union have moved to adopt the more 'male specific' 19 November as International Men's Day, including Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Russia and Georgia.

In 1968 the American journalist John P. Harris wrote an editorial in the Salina Journal highlighting a lack of balance in the Soviet system, which promoted an International Women's Day for the female workers without promoting a corresponding day for male workers. Harris stated that although he did not begrudge Soviet women their March day of glory, its resulting gender inequality clearly exhibited a serious flaw in the communist system, which, "makes much of the equal rights it has given the sexes, but as it turns out, the women are much more equal than the men."[26] Harris stated that while the men toiled along in their grooves doing what their government and womenfolk tell them to do, there was no day when males are recognised for their service, leading Harris to conclude that "This strikes me as unwarranted discrimination and rank injustice." 

Similar questions about the inequality of observing women's day without a corresponding men's day occurred in media publications from the 1960s through to the 1990s, at which time the first attempts at inaugurating international Men's Day are recorded.

In the early 1990s, organizations in the United States, Australia and Malta held small events in February at the invitation of Thomas Oaster who directed the Missouri Center for Men's Studies at the University of Missouri–Kansas City.

Oaster successfully promoted the event in 1993 and 1994, but his following attempt in 1995 was poorly attended and he ceased plans to continue the event in subsequent years.[29] Australians also ceased to observe the event (until they re-established it on 19 November 2003) whilst the Maltese Association for Men's Rights continued as the only country that continued to observe the event each year in February.

 Formerly being the only country still observing the original February date, the Maltese AMR Committee voted in 2009 to begin observing the day on 19 November in order to be synchronized with the rest of the world.

Although International Men's and Women's Day are considered to be 'gender focused' events, they are not ideological mirror images because they highlight issues that are considered unique to men or to women. The history of IMD primarily concerns celebrating issues that are considered unique to the experiences of men and boys, along with an emphasis on positive role models, which is especially "deemed necessary in a social context which is often fascinated with images of males behaving badly... In highlighting positive male role models IMD attempts to show that males of all ages respond much more energetically to positive role models than they do to negative stereotyping."

Citizens in Trinidad and Tobago were the first to observe IMD on 19 November 1999. The event was conceived and coordinated by Dr. Jerome Teelucksingh from The University of the West Indies at the Families in Action headquarters in Newtown, Port of Spain. As his rationale for creating the event Dr. Teelucksingh stated, "I realized there was no day for men... some have said that there is Father's Day, but what about young boys, teenagers and men who are not fathers?" 

India and IMD 

The inaugural celebration of IMD in India was organized by the leading Indian Men's rights organization Indian Family on 19 November 2007.

 The date of 19 November was accepted based on the fact that Australia and the West Indies (Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago) were already observing IMD on that date. The event was again celebrated in India in 2008, and plans have been made to continue the celebration annually.

In 2009, India received the first corporate sponsorship of the International Men's Day with menswear brand Allen Solly deciding to create promotional offers on IMD, and HBO deciding to screen male-positive movies in its "Men in Back" series on 19 November.

Men's Rights Demonstrations in India.

In November 2014 Confidare Education Consultancy hosted an International Men's Day Art Gallery in New Delhi, while in Kolkata protests were held to highlight elder abuse and men's human rights.

 Other men's rights activists posed questions on the occasion of IMD, asking why are men deprived of gender neutral laws, why should not the domestic violence act be made gender neutral, and why are fathers deprived of children's custody in case of separated spouses.

 The Chennai Chapter of All India Men's Welfare Association (AIMWA) submitted a memorandum to the government on IMD 2014 demanding constitution of Men's Welfare Ministry, National Commission for Men, and making all laws gender neutral.

On 19 November 2018, Avijan (a welfare and charitable trust for men) has made a massive protest in Kolkata, which covers by many press and media. Their demand is to create gender neutral law, to create men's commission in India, change of draconian law section 498A, take strong action against who misuse the rape law, and discrimination against men. 

Save Indian Family – Karnataka (or SIF Karnataka), an NGO working for Men's Rights in India under Save Indian Family Movement, celebrates International Men's Day every year. In year 2019, SIF Karnataka in association with two major hospitals of Bangalore, Aster Hospitals and Regal Hospital, ran a Healthy Him campaign on Prostate Cancer awareness.

Also In year 2017 and 2018 among many other awareness activities, the volunteers did a bike rally to Nandi Hills, India and celebrated International Men's Day with more than 40,000 people present.

Daaman Welfare Society & Trust (or Daaman NGO), another prominent NGO working on the same principals under Save Indian Family Movement, also celebrates International Men's Day every year. In year 2019, Daaman NGO hosted a day long grand event at Rave 3 Mall Kanpur and created awareness on International Men's Day. The need for National Men's Commission was also discussed.

Aims and Observances of IMD

According to its creators, International Men's Day is a time to promote positive aspects of male identity based on the premise that 'males of all ages respond more energetically to positive role models than they do to negative gender stereotyping'.

During past years the method of commemorating International Men's Day included public seminars, classroom activities at schools, radio and television programs, peaceful displays and marches, debates, panel discussions, award ceremonies, and art displays. 

The manner of observing this annual day is optional, and any appropriate forums can be used. Early pioneers of IMD reminded that the day is not intended to compete against International Women's Day, but is for the purpose of highlighting men's experiences.

 In 2009 the following broad objectives were ratified as a basis for all International Men's Day observations (named The Six Pillars), and are applied equally to men and boys irrespective of their age, ability, social background, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, religious belief and relationship status:

To promote positive male role models; not just movie stars and sportsmen but everyday, working-class men who are living decent, honest lives.

To celebrate men's positive contributions to society, community, family, marriage, child care, and to the environment.

To focus on men's health and wellbeing; social, emotional, physical and spiritual

To highlight discrimination against men; in areas of social services, social attitudes and expectations, and law.

To improve gender relations and promote gender equality.

To create a safer, better world; where people can live free from harm and grow to reach their full potential.

International Men's Day also coincides with "Movember" – a worldwide moustache growing charity event held during November each year that raises funds and awareness for men's health, one of the key themes promoted on IMD. 

It also interfaces with World Children's Day on 20 November and forms a 48-hour celebration firstly of men, then children respectively, with a recognition of the bonds between them.