International Men’s Day in the UK: Raising awareness of the issues affecting men and boys

Diversity of men. Four cheerful young guys are standing and embracing, smiling, on pure background in casual outfit and jeans

Every year, International Men’s Day in the UK is marked by more and more women, men and organisations across the country.

Across November there are Parliamentary debates, policy launches, employer days, community events, health days, business events, staff support days, debates, student events, political events, lectures, research launches, gigs, charity promotion days, book launches, mental health discussions, film showings, conferences, competitions, comedy nights, get-togethers, award announcements and charity fundraisers – the most anywhere in the world. 

There were c200 organisations involved in 2018, 2019 and 2020.  In 2021 though, an estimated 400 organisations got involved (a record) across the UK, 170,000+ tweets and the hottest trend for hours!   

At WeAreTheCity, we are dedicated to shining a spotlight on the issues of wellbeing, equality and diversity that affect men and boys.  You can view our dedicated International Men’s Day page here which showcases articles, events, books and other resources.

The three core themes for International Men’s Day in the UK which are used every year to help maximise engagement 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 

These core themes help to address 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 and work including attainment, re-training, redundancy and unemployment
  • Men’s health (including male cancers), shorter life expectancy and workplace deaths – plus the health impact of Covid-19 (find out more here)
  • The challenges faced by the most marginalised men and boys in society (for instance, homeless men, boys in care, school exclusions 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

Key statistics on the above can be found here.

IMD in the UK takes a gender inclusive approach and therefore believes in ensuring that issues affecting women and girls are also resolved.  It also recognises the intersection between gender and other factors such as race and sexuality which can compound the inequalities affecting men and boys. 

If you are interested in Men and Boys issues all year round – please look at the Men and Boys Coalition. 

For more information on International Men’s Day, events and links to celebrate the day yourself, please visit here.

Visa - WeAreTheCity - Pioneer 20 - nominations open
WeAreTech Festival 2024 advert

Upcoming Events

march, 2024

Job Board Banner

Related Posts