International Men’s Day

What is the day about?

International Men’s Day (IMD) is an opportunity for everyone to come together to have positive conversations about men, manhood and masculinity using the six pillars of IMD:

1. To promote male role models
2. To celebrate the contributions that men make
3. To focus on men’s health and wellbeing
4. To highlight discrimination against men and the inequalities that men and boys face
5. To improve gender relations and promote gender equality
6. To create a safer world for everyone

The event is a great time for employers to kickstart conversations about how to support and engage with male colleagues regardless of their age, ability, social background, ethnicity, sexuality, gender identity, religious belief and relationship status.

When does the day take place?

International Men’s Day was created by Dr Jerome Tuluck Singh to commemorate his father’s birthday. Fast forward 22 years and it is now celebrated in over 80 countries annually on the 19th November.

Why is the day celebrated?

The founder of International Men’s Day shares why the day is important to him:

“International Men’s Day has the potential to become the global medium to heal our world. The concept and themes of International Men’s Day are designed to give hope to the depressed, faith to the lonely, comfort to the broken-hearted, transcend barriers, eliminate stereotypes and create a more caring humanity.

Since its inception in 1999, International Men’s Day has blossomed into a movement which promotes goodwill and has positively transformed the lives of many people all around the globe. Every year I am overjoyed to witness and read testimonies of persons who genuinely believe that the observance of International Men’s Day has resulted in greater stability in their lives and guided them from darkness into light.”

Yours for a better world – Dr Jerome Tuluck Singh

We agree with the founder that is is important to give people the opportunity to reach out for support, especially when 40% of men have never spoken to anyone about their mental health.

Raising awareness and supporting colleagues’ mental health and wellbeing are integral parts of an inclusive organisation, which includes giving everyone the opportunity to discuss their well-being.

What is the theme?

The following themes are used every year to maximise participation for International Men’s Day:

• 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

The overarching themes provide a flexible framework for organisations to plan their activities for the day.

How to celebrate the day in the workplace?

Training

Host a webinar or workshop on International Men’s Day, discussing the importance of the day and the essential role men can play in being inclusion allies.

Engage with your gender network

Think about ways you can engage your network in the discussion of inclusion and highlight important topics, including: mental health, physical health, parenting, giving a voice to underrepresented voices, supporting the gender balance conversation, being inclusive of trans men in male spaces.

Hear from inclusion role models who can inspire others

Encourage senior people in your organisation to act as allies and role models. Sharing their experiences can be very empowering and support other men to join.

Empower line managers

Consider ways of empowering line managers to be more vulnerable, to talk about mental health, workload and stress as part of normal conversations in 1-2-1s. This can help men at work to feel more comfortable to open up when facing issues.

Play a part in the community

Support local charities or centres that aim to improve the lives of underrepresented men and young boys.

Contact us for support

If your organisation would like more information on how it can become more gender inclusive, complete the form below and a member of our team will contact you: