Not just women, men too undergo atrocities: How to observe their day

While Mother's Day, Women's Day, and Children's Day are celebrated globally with great enthusiasm and fanfare, many men complain about the lack of a similar celebration for them. However, many are unaware that men too have a day, even if it's not as widely celebrated as Women's Day. It's a day observed internationally and celebrated annually on November 19th as International Men's Day.

This day is dedicated to celebrating men's contributions and achievements to society and the world. While crimes and atrocities against women often make headlines, the discrimination and problems faced by men in society often go unnoticed. This day aims to protest against discrimination, exploitation, harassment, and violence against men and ensure their rights are protected. In other words, it's an opportunity to highlight the importance of gender equality and create awareness in society about it. The day also aims to raise awareness about health issues among men.

The contributions of men in various fields like marriage, family, nation-building, and parenting often get overshadowed, and societal discussions tend to focus more on issues related to men. In such a scenario, International Men's Day provides an opportunity to recognize men's sacrifices and contributions, celebrate their lives, acknowledge their ability to shoulder responsibilities, and reflect upon their lives.

However, Men's Day doesn't have a long history. While small-scale celebrations began in various places in 1991, it was in 1999 that the day was first celebrated on a large scale, attracting global attention. Dr Jerome Teelucksingh, a history professor at the University of the West Indies, spearheaded these celebrations. He chose his father's birthday, November 19, as the day for the celebration.

But he didn't intend for it to be just another celebratory day; he saw it as an opportunity to challenge stereotypes and find solutions to various critical issues concerning men and boys. Since then, the day's popularity has grown steadily. Today, it's safe to say that November 19 is celebrated with great importance almost everywhere in the world.

In India, Men's Rights Advocate Uma Challa played a crucial role in popularizing the day. She celebrated Men's Day in India in 2007. The goal was to highlight the issues faced by men around the world. Many people seriously celebrate Men's Day by giving gifts to the beloved men in their lives and spending time with them. Discussions on men's rights are also held from various perspectives. In recent times, e-commerce websites have also joined in by offering special deals and gifts for Men's Day.

This year, International Men's Day is being celebrated with the theme 'Positive Male Role Models.' The celebrations aim to highlight the importance of encouraging open conversations about men's mental health and creating better environments for men to thrive.