International Men’s Day (IMD) is observed every year on November 19, and the 2025 theme — “Celebrating Men and Boys” — focuses on recognising the positive contributions, needs, and well-being of men across the world.

Unlike International Women’s Day, IMD does not have the endorsement of the United Nations, nor does it enjoy the same level of global visibility.

Yet, concerns about men’s mental health, rising male loneliness, and debates over “masculinity in crisis” have brought fresh attention to the issue in recent years.

What exactly is International Men’s Day?

According to the official IMD website, the day aims to “celebrate the positive value men bring to the world, their families, and communities” and to highlight issues affecting men and boys.

Each year carries a specific theme — recent ones have included “Positive Male Role Models” (2024), “Zero Male Suicide” (2023), and “Helping Men and Boys” (2022).

The themes indicate a clear shift toward emotional well-being and mental health, areas where men often hesitate to seek support.

How did International Men’s Day originate?

Efforts to establish a day for men date back to the late 1960s, particularly in Western countries where gender debates intensified during the Second Wave feminist movement.

At the time, February 23 was proposed as a possible date, and scattered events were held in different countries over the decades.

During the early 1990s, Professor Thomas Oaster of the University of Missouri encouraged men’s groups in the US, Europe, and Australia to mark the day in February, but after 1994, the initiative lost steam, with Malta being the only country that continued celebrating IMD.

The modern observance of International Men’s Day began much later, on November 19, 1999, when Dr Jerome Teelucksingh, a history lecturer from Trinidad and Tobago, re-established the day with renewed purpose.

Australian men’s rights organisations supported him, helping IMD gain wider international acceptance.

Why November 19?

Teelucksingh chose the date for deeply personal and symbolic reasons. In a 2008 interview, he explained that November 19 was his father’s birthday, and he wanted to honour positive fatherhood through the observance.

It was also the anniversary of a historic 1989 football match in Trinidad and Tobago, which he felt united the nation across religious, ethnic, and gender lines.

The Indian woman who helped IMD grow

A key but often overlooked part of the story is India’s outsized role in popularising International Men’s Day — thanks largely to Uma Challa, a Bengaluru-based men’s rights activist.

The IMD website credits her with almost single-handedly championing the celebration in India in 2007.

Challa, who has campaigned against what she views as gender-biased laws, is the founder of the Save Indian Family Foundation and had previously worked in the US on men’s issues as well.

Her efforts helped IMD gain visibility in India, which the official website now describes as hosting the biggest IMD celebrations in the world.

Do we still need International Men’s Day?

Critics argue that since men traditionally hold more power in patriarchal societies, dedicating a special day to men can feel unnecessary. Others warn that conversations about men’s rights sometimes slide into attacks on feminism. But gender scholars point out that men, too, face pressures created by patriarchy — from high suicide rates and untreated depression to heart disease, workplace expectations, bullying, and an epidemic of loneliness.

Supporters say that IMD remains valuable as long as its focus stays on improving men’s well-being rather than framing women as adversaries. After all, healthier, happier men contribute to healthier families and safer communities for everyone.