How men and women can work together to create equality
At first thought, international men’s day sounds controversial, however it is a day to celebrate the men in our lives and also encourage them to lead by example
Millicent Clarke - regional head of human resources at Standard Chartered, Africa & Middle East
On November 19, over 80 countries around the world celebrate International Men’s Day to highlight men’s health, improving gender relations, promoting gender equality and celebrating male role models.
On this day, we call on our men to highlight discrimination against them and celebrate their positive achievements and contributions to communities, places of work, friendships, families, marriages, and childcare.
At first thought, international men’s day sounds controversial, however it is a day to celebrate the men in our lives and also encourage them to lead by example. Boys need positive male role models.
Our broader community also needs positive male role models. So today, we celebrate all the men who have enriched our lives.
I was happy to see that the theme for this year is “Better relations between men and women” because it is only when men and women work together, we can create an equal society.
When it comes to gender equality, there is a notion that it is a binary, one-sided issue that does not call for greater inclusion. Gender equality is much more complex and multi-faceted where all genders can experience a broad range of different inequalities. For young boys and men, there are many inequalities that disproportionately affect their lives.
Initiatives like International Men’s Day are important as they provide a platform where people from a diverse range of perspectives who are committed to improving lives can get involved in the fight for equality.
In order to foster real change, we must be willing to have open dialogues about how we have can drive equality not only in the workplace but also in our society. Men need to be more than allies to women.
We must give men the opportunity to discuss to talk about men’s health issues be they physical or mental and recognise their positive contributions. There is plenty to admire and cherish in masculine roles, from courage and strength to stoicism and self-sacrifice, and we must celebrate these positive qualities. Let’s create space for these discussions, not be afraid to lift the lid and talk positively about what it means to be a man. IMD is a good place to start.
Lastly, I would just like to take a moment to celebrate all the great men we engage with. From colleagues, to husbands, fathers, brothers and sons. We thank you for your constant support, encouragement and for continuously enriching our lives.
Millicent Clarke – regional head of human resources at Standard Chartered Bank, Africa & Middle East
Written by Edward Liamzon
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How men and women can work together to create equality
At first thought, international men’s day sounds controversial, however it is a day to celebrate the men in our lives and also encourage them to lead by example
On November 19, over 80 countries around the world celebrate International Men’s Day to highlight men’s health, improving gender relations, promoting gender equality and celebrating male role models.
On this day, we call on our men to highlight discrimination against them and celebrate their positive achievements and contributions to communities, places of work, friendships, families, marriages, and childcare.
At first thought, international men’s day sounds controversial, however it is a day to celebrate the men in our lives and also encourage them to lead by example. Boys need positive male role models.
Our broader community also needs positive male role models. So today, we celebrate all the men who have enriched our lives.
I was happy to see that the theme for this year is “Better relations between men and women” because it is only when men and women work together, we can create an equal society.
When it comes to gender equality, there is a notion that it is a binary, one-sided issue that does not call for greater inclusion. Gender equality is much more complex and multi-faceted where all genders can experience a broad range of different inequalities. For young boys and men, there are many inequalities that disproportionately affect their lives.
Initiatives like International Men’s Day are important as they provide a platform where people from a diverse range of perspectives who are committed to improving lives can get involved in the fight for equality.
In order to foster real change, we must be willing to have open dialogues about how we have can drive equality not only in the workplace but also in our society. Men need to be more than allies to women.
We must give men the opportunity to discuss to talk about men’s health issues be they physical or mental and recognise their positive contributions. There is plenty to admire and cherish in masculine roles, from courage and strength to stoicism and self-sacrifice, and we must celebrate these positive qualities. Let’s create space for these discussions, not be afraid to lift the lid and talk positively about what it means to be a man. IMD is a good place to start.
Lastly, I would just like to take a moment to celebrate all the great men we engage with. From colleagues, to husbands, fathers, brothers and sons. We thank you for your constant support, encouragement and for continuously enriching our lives.
Millicent Clarke – regional head of human resources at Standard Chartered Bank, Africa & Middle East
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