2016 Theme Announced: “Talk About Male Suicide”

This year International Men’s Day, which is held on Saturday 19th November 2016,coincides with International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day. To help the world mark these two Days, we are inviting men and women all over the UK to join us in adopting the official International Men’s Day Theme for 2016: “Talk About Male Suicide”.

The 2016 theme forms part the overall UK theme “Making A Difference for Men and Boys” which is designed to help more people consider what action we can all take to “Make A Difference” by addressing some of the issues that affect Men and Boys such as:

  • the high male suicide rate
  • men’s shorter life expectancy (including all men’s health issues, workplace deaths and homelessness)
  • our collective tolerance of violence against men and boys (including sexual violence and domestic abuse)
  • the struggles that boys can face in getting an education
  • the unique challenges of the father-child relationship
  • the negative portrayal of fathers, and, men and boys

In the UK, 4,630 men killed themselves in 2014, men are nearly four times more likely to kill themselves than women with 13 men dying from suicide every day.

International Men’s Day UK invites all people, all over the UK, to use 19th November 2016 to start a national conversation about male suicide in your country.

Why are our sons, brothers, fathers, uncles, grandfathers, husbands, partners, male friends and family members, more likely to take their own lives? What causes men and boys to kill themselves? What can we do collectively to reduce the number of men and boy who die every year form suicide?  We can only begin to find answers to these questions if we “Talk About Male Suicide”.

International Men’s Day encourages people to listen respectfully to a diversity of viewpoints as we encourage the world to “Talk About Male Suicide” on 19th November 2016.

As a day of observance we place our focus on that which unites humanity- giving everyone who wants to celebrate International Men’s Day the opportunity to help work towards our shared objectives which we apply equally to men and boys irrespective of their age, ability, social background, ethnicity, sexuality, gender identity, religious belief and relationship status.

Those objectives are:

  • 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 males; 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 all people can grow and reach their full potential.

Finding new, innovative and effective ways to engage every individual and organisation in the world in a conversation about male suicide is just one way people can further the objectives of International Men’s Day in 2016.

International Men’s Day welcomes everyone who is willing to “Talk About Male Suicide” and listen respectfully to what people with a diversity of viewpoints have to say on the subject, to join us in marking the day on 19th November 2016.

In particular we invite people to listen respectfully to the voices of men with lived experience of male suicide and those bereaved or affected by the loss of male suicide as they “Talk About Male Suicide” on International Men’s Day.