International Men’s Day UK 2024: Proving organisations and public care about men and boys

#InternationalMensDay

Organisers of International Men’s Day (IMD) in the UK (Tuesday 19 November) believe 2024 is due to be the best ever. They estimate that the inclusive community platform will have between 600-800 organisations taking part. All with the focus on supporting male health and wellbeing, male charities and the positive contribution made by men and boys to society. Huge support on social media is once again expected (#internationalmensday).

International Men’s Day in the UK is managed by the Men and Boys Coalition charity. It has grown over the past 15 years from just 12 organisations taking part, to being a landmark event in the UK’s annual calendar. Those taking part include leading brands, through to public sector bodies, charities, universities, schools, colleges, theatre groups, sports clubs, companies, care homes and Parliament (Debate on 21 November). There is also an episode of Loose Men (instead of Loose Women) again on ITV. (See Annex 1 for details).

The three themes of International Men’s Day in the UK are:

• Making a positive difference to the wellbeing and lives of men and boys
• Raising awareness and/or funds for charities supporting men and boys’ wellbeing
• Promoting a positive conversation about men, manhood and masculinity

Over the past five years, there has been a growing awareness of the need to better support men and boys with the problems they face (see Annex 2 and 3). These include:

• 213,000 young men are unemployed
• 90,000 men are in prison today, enough to fill Wembley Stadium
• 34,950 fewer 18-year-old UK boys than girls started university in September in 2024
• 6,481 boys were excluded from school in 2022/23
• 3,214 men sleep rough on our streets every night (Autumn 2023)
• 57% of boys do not receive good GCSE passes in English and Maths
• 33 men every day die from prostate cancer
• 14 men every day die by suicide – the English male suicide rate is the highest this century 10 men die every month from a work-related injury
• 10-15 men die every year at the hands of a partner/ex-partner
• One man in five does not in every 100 men do not live till 65

Mark Brooks OBE, National Ambassador of International Men’s Day UK, said:

 “The growing public support and the number of organisations across the UK embracing International Men’s Day once again proves how much they care about men and boys. It is a time where everyone can come together to focus on recognising and finding solutions to the issues men and boys face and encourage them to get help. This is the very hallmark of an inclusive society.

“International Men’s Day also provides an important opportunity to showcase the brilliant work of charities that support men and boys which are growing in number and in scale. Many are using the day to launch new services, campaigns and initiatives.

“There will also be a huge response again from the public especially on social media urging men who need support to reach out and talk. It is also expected that there will also be thousands of women marking International Men’s Day with warm messages about how important their fathers, brothers, sons, male friends and colleagues are to them.

“International Men’s Day is an inclusive platform. Many, of events and social media activity are created by women. This shows men and boys, and, women and girls recognise they share their lives society together.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

 The International Men’s Day UK website can be found at: www.ukmensday.org.uk and images, events and facts can be found at www.ukmensday.org.uk/events. The international # is #internationalmensday and the UK Twitter account is @ukmensday

The International Men’s Day UK Ambassadors include Mark Brooks OBE, Duncan Craig OBE, Ally Fogg, Associate Professor Caroline Flurey, Professor Ben Hine, Dr Mohammad “Maz” Idriss, Glen Poole and Sonia Shaljean.

Details about the Men and Boys Coalition charity: www.menandboyscoalition.org.uk

Further Information

If you require further information about International Men’s Day in the UK please contact:

Mark Brooks OBE

07834 452357

contact@ukmensday.org.uk

Annex

(1) Organisations link: https://ukmensday.org.uk/rolling-list24/

The overall estimate is based on last year’s pattern where organisations were announcing activities and support over a two week period on social media and elsewhere.

(2) Core Wellbeing Issues:

• The high male suicide rate
• The challenges faced by boys and men at all stages of education and work including attainment, re-training, stress, redundancy and unemployment
• Men’s health (including male cancers), shorter life expectancy, body image and workplace deaths
• The challenges faced by the most marginalised men and boys in society – for instance, homeless men, boys in care, school excluded boys and the high rate of male deaths in custody
• Male victims of violence and crime – for instance, bullying, sexual violence, gang violence, and, those coerced into county lines and other criminal activity
• 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. online image-abuse, sextortion and modern slavery
• The negative portrayal of men, boys and fathers

(3) Key facts about men and boys’ wellbeing: https://ukmensday.org.uk/key-facts/