MEN’S EQUALITY MONTH and INTERNATIONAL MEN’S DAY

#GenderEqualityForMen

November is Men’s Equality Month and November 19 is International Men’s Day. These observances are an opportunity to celebrate the role that men and boys play in society, and to raise awareness about the 12 areas of male disadvantage.

International Men’s Day (IMD) was inaugurated in 1999 in Trinidad and Tobago and coordinated by Dads4Kids in Australia.

An Even Bigger Year in 2025

The International Council for Men and Boys anticipates the 2025 events will dramatically expand on previous years. ICMB is now inviting groups to serve as Country Coordinators for the upcoming November events. Responsibilities:

  • Identify groups in your country, state, or province that are willing to hold events to promote Men’s Equality Month and/or International Men’s Day.
  • Publicize these events to allied groups and supporters in your country, state, or province.
  • Attend the monthly Zoom planning calls.
  • Consider organizing an in-person event in your nation’s capital.
  • In December, compile a listing of the events held in your country, so they can be globally recognized.

If your group is interested, please reply to Bob Thompson at rthompson@menandboys.net

To date, the following groups have agreed to serve as Country Coordinators:

  1. Bulgaria: Father’s Voice – Andrey Edrev
  2. Canada: Canadian Equal Parenting Council – Glenn Cheriton
  3. Denmark: Danish Men’s Council – Torben Haugaard
  4. India: Ekam Nyaay Foundation (“One Justice”) – Rohit Kumar
  5. Kenya: Wahenga Youth Group – Samuel Omara
  6. Kenya: WE4HIM – Emily Moraa Moturi
  7. Nigeria: Boys Mentoring Advocacy Network – Ola Akiniwe
  8. Poland: Polish Association for Boys and Men – Jakub Mamelski

Growing Scope, Visibility, and Importance

Over the years, International Men’s Day has grown in scope, visibility, and importance:

  • IMD events have been held in at least 35 countries:Africa: Botswana, Burundi, Ghana, Nigeria, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe
    • Americas: Antigua and Barbuda, Canada, Cayman Islands, Colombia, Cuba, Grenada, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and the United States
    • Asia: China, India, Pakistan, and Singapore
    • Europe: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Denmark, France, Hungary, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Malta, Romania, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom
    • Oceania: Australia and New Zealand
  • Lawmakers or government officials have issued statements in support of IMD in the following 16 countries:
    • Africa: Seychelles, South Africa, and Zimbabwe
    • Americas: Antigua and Barbuda, Canada (Oshawa and Winnipeg), Cayman Islands, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and the United States (Arizona, Alabama, California, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia)
    • Asia: Singapore
    • Europe: England, Northern Ireland, Romania, and Scotland
    • Oceania: Australia
  • The World Health Organization has highlighted International Men’s Day on social media:

Building on the successes of International Men’s Day, Men’s Equality Month (MEM) was inaugurated in 2024 by the International Council for Men and Boys. In 2024,  MEM and IMD events were held in 20 countries, and millions of persons were reached on social media!

The 2025 MEM and IMD events are expected to reach many more persons!