2016 Theme
This year International Men’s Day, which is held on Saturday 19th November 2016.
The UK theme for the Day continues to be “Making A Difference for Men and Boys”.
The theme 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
- The challenges faced by boys and men at all stages of education including attainment
- Men’s health, shorter life expectancy and workplace deaths
- The challenges faced by the most marginalised men and boys in society (for instance, homeless men, boys in care and the high rate of male deaths in custody)
- Male victims of violence, including sexual violence
- 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 and slavery
- The negative portrayal of men, boys and fathers
The key issue of focus at a national level for 2016 is “supporting boys with their academic, employment, personal, social and health education“. There will also be a continuation of the attention on male suicide. International Men’s day also coincides with International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day.
At a local level, what areas issues, events and activities* you choose to mark International Men’s Day is entirely up to you.
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International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day
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.