#ShowMenSomeLove Today is International Mens Day! The Theme for 2014 - 2015 Working Together for Men and Boys. International Men’s Day is annually held on November 19 to improve gender relations and promote unity. It celebrates the contributions that men make to improve the quality of life in society. It is a time to highlight discrimination against men and boys in areas of health, family law, education, media or other areas and to project their positive contributions and achievements. The inaugural International Men’s Day was held in Trinidad and Tobago on November 19 in 1999. It is now celebrated in over 60 countries of the world. In Africa, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Burundi, Ghana and South have already inaugurated the celebrations. Unfortunately, Kenya has lagged behind. Nov 19, is a day to highlight the long ignored problems of men, especially those who are married. Just like women, men too are victims discrimination. Men too need gender equality. It is a fact. Men have continued to suffer silently. They have been deprived of gender neutral laws. The domestic violence laws are not gender neutral. Fathers deprived of childrens custody in case of separated spouses. As the world moves towards gender equality and gradual elimination of traditional gender roles, we have to keep reminding ourselves that gender equality is a two-way street. Freeing women from traditional gender roles is only one part of the game, which will achieve nothing, if attempts are not made to free men as well from traditional roles and social expectations. It is foolish to expect men to believe in gender equality and change their mindset, while expecting them to meet old traditional social expectations. It is quite startling to know that every nine minutes, a married man commits suicide. No study has been conducted by any government agency on reasons of more suicides by the married men than the women. Not a single study has been done that is related to the domestic and social life of a man and in understanding his problems. If the whole world is about eliminating gender roles, then why no one questions the moral and legal duties of a man to pay maintenance and alimony to a working wife during separation? The International Mens Day focuses on improving gender relations, promoting gender equality, producing responsible males and highlighting positive male role models. It also looks at addressing issues such as parenting, positive male role models, families and healthy life choices for men. It aims at celebrating men’s positive contributions to society, community, family, marriage, child care, and to the environment. It focuses on men’s health and wellbeing social, emotional, physical and spiritual, and also highlights discrimination against men in areas of social services, social attitudes and expectations, and law. It aims at improving gender relations and promote gender equality and create a safer, better world where people can be safe and grow to reach their full potential. The observance for the day is designed to encourage greater cooperation in addressing issues that affect men and boys all over the world such as the shorter life expectancy of men, the high male suicide rate, our collective tolerance of violence against men, the struggles that boys can face in getting an education and the unique challenges of father-child relationships. The world must stop overestimating the privileges that men and boys supposedly enjoy. Men make sacrifices everyday in their place of work, in their role as husbands and fathers, for their families, for their friends, for their communities and for their nation. The ability to sacrifice your needs on behalf of others is fundamental to manhood, as is honour. International Mens Day is an opportunity for people everywhere of goodwill to appreciate and celebrate the men in their lives and the contribution they make to society for the greater good of all. Lets celebrate what it takes. Lets celebrate the uniqueness of Manhood. All men are not bad. #ShowMenSomeLove
Posted on: Wed, 19 Nov 2014 03:39:16 +0000