18 Nov 2020

This year’s International Men’s Day themed, Promoting a Positive Conversation about Men, Manhood and Masculinity, is scheduled to be held in Pilikwe today, Minister of Nationality, Immigration and Gender Affairs, Ms Anna Mokgethi  has announced.

 Briefing the media about the ministry’s forthcoming national activities, she said the commemoration demonstrated that government had taken a deliberate step to move away from exclusively focusing on women.

Ms Mokgethi said the theme challenged people to create opportunities to engage men in all their diversity to leverage on their masculinity in an endeavor to bring positive transformation.

She said in commemorating the day, there was need to reflect on the positive role that Batswana men played in society as well and the gaps they filled that required men’s participation.

Men, she said, played a critical role in the upbringing of children, especially boys.

Ms Mokgethi said fathers’ absenteeism had been shown to have a negative impact on children who often ended up being delinquents.

She further said the contribution of men in providing care within families was vital as it did not only promote gender equality but also relieved women from the burden of unpaid work.

Meanwhile, Ms Mokgethi has explained that the concept and themes of International Men’s Day were designed to give hope to the depressed, faith to the lonely, comfort to the broken-hearted, transcend barriers, eliminate stereotypes and create  a more caring humankind.

She said the day was first commemorated in 1999 in Trinidad and Tobago with the objective of promoting positive male role models and celebrating men’s positive contributions to society. 

It was also geared at focusing on men’s health and wellbeing, to highlight discrimination against men, to improve gender relations and promote gender equality as well as creating a safer better world, she said. 

About the other national events planned by the ministry, Ms Mokgethi said the 16 Days of Activism against Violence on Women and Children campaign would be launched in Hukuntsi on November 25 with closing activities  scheduled for Molepolole on December 10.

Attendance of both events would be strictly by invitation in observance of COVID-19 protocols, the minister said. Ends