International Men's Day is celebrated worldwide on November 19. It originated in 1992, thanks to Trinidadian scholar Dr. Jerome Teelucksingh. His vision was to create a day dedicated to celebrating men's achievements and contributions while generating awareness about critical issues faced by men. The idea quickly gained acceptance globally. Celebrations, discussions, and awareness campaigns are conducted everywhere.

The objectives of celebrating International Men's Day are known as the ‘Six Pillars of International Men's Day'.

1. Promote Positive Male Role Models: Not just movie stars and sportsmen but regular, working-class men living decent, honest lives.
2. Celebrate Men's Achievements: Appreciate the men's contributions to health, education, community service, family, marriage, child care, and the environment.
3. Emphasis on Men's Health and Well-being
4. Improving Relations Between the Genders
5. Raise Awareness of Gender Discrimination Against Men
6. Empower Men to Act: Empowering men to engage their communities and act on issues affecting them or their peers. Creating a safer, better world, where people can be safe and grow to reach their full potential.

Each year, the world coordinators plan the celebrations with a specific theme in focus. Some prominent themes over the years have been – ‘Giving Boys the Best Possible Start in Life’, ‘Celebrating Men And Boys In All Their Diversity’, ‘Better Health for Men and Boys’, ‘Better relations between men and women’, ‘Men Leading by Example’, ‘Stop Male Suicide’ etc.

The global theme for International Men's Day 2024 is Positive Male Role Models. The sub-theme is to promote activities that keep men and boys healthy. The sub-theme is an important reminder that men’s health is a social issue, not just an individual issue. International Men’s Day is a good time for Government, public services, big businesses, NGOs, and the media to focus on the collective action we can take, to make the world a healthier place for everyone, including men and boys.

In India International Men's Day was celebrated yesterday through diverse activities such as workshops and seminars addressing men's positive social contributions, men’s mental health, changing gender roles, men’s diverse contributions to family and societal stereotypes.

Hospitals and health clinics organized Health campaigns where free or low-cost check-ups were offered for men. Health Risk prevention activities like regular exercise, a healthy diet, not smoking, stress management, moderate alcohol consumption, and regular checkups were promoted.

In professional organizations, men’s contributions were celebrated, and their leadership was felicitated. In Mumbai, special events were conducted to recognize the contributions of men who help run the day-to-day life of the megacity. Dabbawalas, Local Train operators, porters, janitors, helpers, BEST drivers and conductors, Auto Drivers, and Traffic Police, to name a few.

Among the many events and celebrations, one specific drive that stood out was the wake-up call drive organized by SIFF (Save Indian Family Foundation). They conducted a car rally in which over 100 activists paraded from Pune and Mumbai to Karjat to highlight the “Male Vote to Nation, Society, Community, and Family”

The Reason Behind the SIFF Celebration of Men’s Day:

International Men’s Day, serves as an opportunity to both celebrate the achievements of men and raise awareness about the issues they face. Sadly, the occasion is not widely recognized, and even when it is, it is often mocked or belittled. Men’s Rights Activists (MRAs) are working to spread awareness and challenge the misandry that still exists in society.

The statistics show that the average annual number of suicides among married men has surged from 68,815 to 83,713 from 2019 to 2022.  This is an alarming increase while suicides among married women have remained nearly constant at 28,000 annually for the past 15 years.

In recent years, laws have been passed in favor of women, often without similar protections for men. Domestic violence and workplace harassment laws only protect women, leaving men vulnerable.

The recent BNS69 law allows young men to be imprisoned for up to 10 years based on rape allegations (may they be true or false). This is causing widespread panic among young men. SIFF has conducted events condemning 'False Cases' filed against men by women.

On November 16, over 100 men from various parts of Maharashtra, and Telangana along with their colorful cars and flags, gathered near Pune and drove to Karjat.

Some of their key activities were distributing pamphlets in Lonavala, giving out gifts to men and boys in Khopoli, and interviewing locals in Karjat to understand their opinions about men’s issues and necessary reforms in society, particularly in the context of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly elections on 20th November.
Sagar Gunthal, Counselor at SIFF Maharashtra region, reflects, "Indian politicians currently view women as a vote bank and men as a tax bank, promoting a culture of freebies for women in Indian states. However, the male voters, are seeking positive male role models, laws protecting men against discrimination and false accusations and this could significantly impact the upcoming elections."

Major Demands by Men's Rights Activists:

1. Address the issue of suicides due to family reasons

2. Ensure courts treat both genders equally and show empathy to both men and women.

3. Appoint visiting psychologists and psychiatrists in courts to address men’s mental health crises.

SIFF's celebration of International Men’s Day saw events across various states in India, the movement continues to spread awareness about the importance of men in society and the need for reforms that protect both genders equally. Their demands frequently counter the feminist views and in the light of atrocities faced by women, they may seem even vindictive. But for those men who suffer, they sound like music. And despite the contradicting motives, the mental health concerns for men are real.

At the end of the day, it all comes down to a rational dialogue between genders and advocating groups. Only then Women’s Day and Men’s Day be more celebratory than the activists’ campaigns and mutual derogation that we see today.

- Rucha Mulay
kartavyasadhana@gmail.com

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