Campaigners call on politicians to put MAN in their Manifestos – International Men’s Day on 19 November

Political parties need to take more action to help men and boys according a new report from the UK organisers of International Men’s Day (Tuesday 19 November 2013) – an annual event which is celebrated around the world every year with a number of events being held all over the UK including in Parliament (see notes to editors).

The International Men’s Day Manifesto Challenge

The report highlights 12 key areas where political parties need to be developing specific policies to tackle the inequalities and disadvantage that they say men and boys face in Britain (see notes to editors).

The issues politicians should be addressing in their manifestos for the 2015 general election  include improving men’s health and life expectancy, doing better for boys in education, preventing male suicide, helping dads be more involved in their children’s upbringing and reducing crime and violence involving men and boys.

Glen Poole, UK co-ordinator for International Men’s Day and author of the report, said:

“International Men’s Day is a perfect opportunity for people to focus on the inequalities and disadvantages that men and boys face – from education to health to homelessness.

”When politicians think about tackling inequality they tend to focus on everyone but men and boys. In doing so they fail to consider the specific needs of men and boys as a distinct group. If we want to live in a world that is fairer and more equal for everyone, then we need to think about the problems that affect everyone—men and boys included.

“Our International Men’s Day report is designed to help start a new conversation about ways we can take action to improve the lives of men and boys thereby improving the lives of everyone in the UK today.”

The 12 challenges in the report are supported by compelling statistics which include the fact that:

• 12 men a day in the UK die from suicide and men are three times more likely than women to kill themselves
• 90% of rough sleepers are male
• Women are a third more likely to go to university and male graduates are 50% more likely to be unemployed
• 82% of dads say they want to be more involved in their children’s lives
• Girls outperform boys at every stage of education and 57% more likely to get A* grades at GCSE and A Level
• 96% of people who die at work are men and men accounted for 84% of suicides linked to the recession
• Men and boys are the main victims of crime and violence
• Men account for 95% of the prison population
• Men die four years younger than women on average

The report — Putting The Man In Your  Manifestos — will be delivered to leaders and policy makers in all of the key political parties in the country on International Men’s Day and the responses of each of the parties published in the New Year.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

–           For further information about International Men’s Day in the UK, visit www.ukmensday.org.uk and events are listed at https://ukmensday.org.uk/events/month/

–           For more information, please contact: Glen Poole on 07981 334222 or email glen@glenpoole.com and contact@ukmensday.org.

The 12 key Challenges are:

1.         How will you improve men and boys’ health?

2.         How will you help boys do better at school?

3.         How will you help more fathers be involved dads?

4.         How will you reduce male suicide?

5.         How will you tackle crime involving men and boys?

6.         How will you reduce violence involving men and boys?

7.         How will you support male workers and male carers?

8.         How will you end male homelessness?

9.         How will you protect vulnerable men and boys?

10.       How will you help men in all their diversity?

11.       How will you end unnecessary male circumcision?

12.       How will you help men and boys to strengthen their communities?