2009 International Men s Day
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International Men’s Day is an international event celebrated on November 19 every year. It was inaugurated in 1999 in Trinidad and Tobago and was supported by the United Nations, and received in principal support from men’s groups in USA, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. Speaking on behalf of UNESCO, Director of Women and Culture of Peace Ms. Ingeborg Breines said of IMD: “This is an excellent idea and would give some gender balance.” She added that UNESCO was looking forward to cooperating with IMD organisers.
The objectives of celebrating an International Men’s Day include focusing on men’s and boy’s health, improving gender relations, promoting gender equality, and highlighting positive male role models. It is an occasion for men to highlight discrimination against them and to celebrate their achievements and contributions, in particular for their contributions to community, family, marriage, and child care.
International Men’s Day is celebrated in Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Australia, India, United States, Singapore, United Kingdom, Malta, and South Africa on November 19, and global support for the celebration is broad.
Indian Men’s rights organisation Save Indian Family have joined in with an inaugural celebration of IMD on 19 November, 2007. As a first step it accepted 19 November as (Indian) International Men’s Day based on the fact that cricket rivals Australians and West Indies (Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago) were already doing it. The event was again celebrated in India in 2008, and plans have been made to continue the celebration annually.
