African Civil Society Organizations Call for Recognition, Support of International Men's Day
Efforts to Promote Gender Equality and Positive Masculinity Highlighted
Lilongwe, Malawi - African civil society organizations working to promote gender equality and positive masculinity have issued a call to African Union governments and the international community to recognize and support International Men's Day (IMD), writes Winston Mwale.
The organizations, representing Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, Malawi, Kenya, Tunisia, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, are urging African heads of state and governments, along with cooperating partners through the African Union (AU), to embrace and commemorate IMD on November 19th annually.
The call comes after various organizations held a five-day exchange workshop in Homa Bay, Kenya, in 2021.
The workshop, organized by the African Women Development and Communication Network (FEMNET), aimed to enhance the capacity of civil society organizations (CSOs) in involving men and boys in gender equality programs.
Since the workshop, these organizations have been working to strengthen the involvement of men and boys in gender equality activities and are now mobilizing to seek recognition and support for International Men's Day.
International Men's Day is not intended to overshadow International Women's Day but rather to acknowledge the efforts of male movements that promote gender equality through positive masculinities.
Many gender equality interventions have focused solely on girls and women, leaving men and boys as perceived perpetrators of violence.
Recognizing IMD will help strengthen men and boys' movements in responding to gender-based violence and addressing systemic inequality.
The recognition of International Men's Day is expected to address various challenges faced by the continent, including the economic consequences of the post-COVID-19 pandemic, job losses, marital conflicts, poverty, migration, climate change refugees, destitution, and severe mental health challenges such as depression, alcoholism, and suicide tendencies.
The commemoration will also shed light on the emotional, health, and physical harm experienced by men and boys, which often goes unaddressed due to limited support structures and platforms at community and institutional levels.
International Men's Day is based on six pillars: promoting positive male role models, celebrating men's contributions to society, focusing on men's health and well-being, highlighting discrimination against men, improving gender relations, and creating a safer, better world.
The theme for this year's International Men's Day is "Zero male suicide," emphasizing the urgent need to address mental health challenges faced by men.
Currently, only eight out of the 54 African countries officially recognize International Men's Day.
The African civil society organizations behind this call believe that recognizing IMD will help promote positive male role models, raise awareness about men's contributions to society, address discrimination against men, and foster gender equality.
Below is the list of the NGOs that have penned the statement:
Democratic Republic of Congo
Faith Word in Action
Kenya
Masculinity Institute – Main Kenya
Malawi
Men for Gender Equality Now (MEGEN)
Mali
West African Network of Young Women Leaders
Tanzania
Young and Alive Initiative
Tunisia
The Tunisian Association for Governance and Equality between Women and Men in Decision-Making Positions
Zambia
Zambia National Men’s Network For Gender and Development
Zimbabwe
Padare/Enkundleni/Men’s Forum On Gender