The day of 19 November is celebrated as International Men’s Day in more than 60 countries. It started in 1998 in Trinidad and Tobago. Dr. Jerome Teelucksingh took the initiative to give a name to the contribution of men in life. International Men’s Day is celebrated on his father’s birthday. The theme for 2019 International Men’s day is “Making a Difference for Men and Boys”.

International Men’s Day coincides with Movember, where men grow their facial hair in an effort to promote mental health, preventing suicide and awareness about prostate and testicular cancer.

According to the website of international men’s day, the 6 proposed objectives or pillars of international Men’s Day include

1. To promote positive male role models; not just movie stars and sportsmen but every day, working-class men who are living decent, honest lives.

2. To celebrate men’s positive contributions to society, community, family, marriage, childcare, and to the environment.

3. To focus on men’s health and wellbeing; social, emotional, physical and spiritual.

4. To highlight discrimination against men; in areas of social services, social attitudes and expectations, and law

5. To improve gender relations and promote gender equality

6. To create a safer, better world; where people can be safe and grow to reach their full potential.

There is much to celebrate about the day. Each woman in one’s life must be celebrated for all the sacrifices she has made, for all hustles she has done, for all compassion and love, she has bestowed onto us etc. be it our mother, sister, wife, daughter or friend. She truly deserves the same.

Though, it is a saddening fact to realise, what has been done and still happening to the women in our country, as it is known to all of us. Let’s not get into satistics. Do you know why? Because, that’s depressing. Rather, let’s take the force into the hand to do, all that it takes to see all women as ‘human beings’ and not as a ‘second sex’.

If you meet a father, go tell him, that today he’s truly a great man, not only because he has a daughter, but because he has the boon of the universe and she’ll nurture the life beyond.

And, it is for the realisation of all the women, that it is you, who can strengthen the other woman, in a way which no other man can.
So, better be a strength then being a foe.

“Behind every successful woman, there is a great force, called woman.”

And, as I always say,

“Other girls are not my competition, I stand with them, not against them.”

Be a woman, you want to be.
In all your variations!
In all your varieties!

Happy Women’s Day!

-©Sakshi Narang