When is International Men’s Day 2022?
International Men’s Day is a global holiday celebrated every year on November 19th to recognize and celebrate the cultural, political, and socioeconomic achievements of men. This year it falls on Saturday, November 19th. The broader and ultimate aim of the event is to promote basic awareness towards men’s issues.
Celebrating International Men’s Day
The objectives of celebrating an International Men’s Day are set out in All The Six Pillars of International Men’s Day. They are
- To promote positive male role models, not just movie stars and sportsmen but everyday, working-class men living decent, honest lives.
- To celebrate men’s positive contributions to society, community, family, marriage, child care, and the environment.
- To focus on men’s health and well-being; social, emotional, physical and spiritual.
- To highlight discrimination against males; in social services, social attitudes and expectations, and law.
- To improve gender relations and promote gender equality.
- To create a safer, better world; where people can be safe and grow to reach their full potential.
It is an occasion to celebrate boys’ and men’s lives, achievements and contributions, particularly for their contributions to the nation, union, society, community, family, marriage, and childcare.
History of International Men’s Day
In 2001, the United Nations General Assembly declared November 19th World Men’s Day. However, it wasn’t until 2018 that the UN officially recognized IMD as a day for celebrating men worldwide.
IMD is now celebrated in over 120 countries across the globe. And there are many ways to celebrate it, including gift exchanges, seminars and workshops.
In the 1970s, the United Nations General Assembly declared February 5th as International Women’s Day. This day is meant to celebrate women’s achievements and call attention to gender equality.
On March 8th, 2018, Russia celebrates International Women’s Year. On this day, many events are held across the country to honour women and promote gender equality.
The Soviet Union did not recognize International Men’s Days because there were no such days in the USSR. They believed that men and women had equal roles in society and, therefore, there was no reason to celebrate one over another.
Jerome Teelucksingh, a Canadian writer, raised the idea of reviving International Men’s Month in 2005. He wanted to bring attention to male suicide rates. He argued that men face unique challenges compared to women and need special recognition.
He founded International Men’s Week in 2006. He used his blog to spread information about International Men’s Month worldwide.
Teelucksingh died in 2013. His son, Joshua Teelucksingh continued the work. In 2017, International Men’s Weeks were held in cities like New York City, Toronto, London, Berlin, San Francisco, Sydney, Melbourne, and Mexico City.
International Men’s Day By Numbers
Men make up about half of the world’s population. But according to the United Nations, one in every 10 people worldwide lives without basic human needs like food, water, shelter, healthcare, education or work. And while women still face discrimination and violence, men are disproportionately affected by poverty, unemployment, homelessness, mental health issues and suicide.
To raise awareness of the challenges facing men around the globe, UNICEF launched International Men’s Day on November 19th each year. This year, it marks the occasion with a call to action to end male gender inequality.
In 2018, nearly 2 billion men were living in extreme poverty. In some countries, such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal, over 50% of adults living in extreme poverty.
According to the World Health Organization, globally, one man dies every 20 seconds due to suicide. One out of three suicides takes place in low- and middle-income countries.
The most common causes of death for young men aged 15–29 include road accidents, self-inflicted injuries, homicide and war.
And despite being less likely to use tobacco products, men die earlier from smoking-related diseases than women.
Meanwhile, one in five men suffers from depression.
Why We Love International Men’s Day
Men make up half of the world’s population, and yet there are still too few roles for them to play. They’re less likely to receive equal pay, they’re underrepresented in politics and leadership positions, and they’re often overlooked when it comes to family issues. In fact, according to UNICEF, one out of every three children worldwide lives without knowing his father. And while men make up half of the population, they account for just over 20% of global decision-makers.
This year, International Men’s day falls on November 19th, 2022. It’s a good idea for companies to recognize the importance of supporting male employees and promoting gender equality. Here are some reasons why we love International Men’s Day.
The official theme for 2022 is: “Helping men and boys”. In Australia, “Celebrating mateship” (#MakeTime4Mates). “Men Leading by Example”.
We encourage you to come up with creative ideas on how you want to mark International Men’s Day. Use the hashtag #IMD2022 to share your stories.
