New bill proposes Men's Day for South Africa
Could South Africa soon have an official Men’s Day?
A new bill aimed at addressing absent fatherhood and mental health issues affecting men has been proposed.
According to The Citizen, Nikita Harris from Legacy Nation said that when men step up, “households stabilise and communities heal”.
This is exactly what she hopes to achieve with her MENPOWERED campaign and the proposed Responsible Parenthood Bill.
The new bill argues that having an official day dedicated to men could help address issues unique to men, as well as those affecting children and families.
The Responsible Parenthood Bill aims to establish an official Men’s Day on 26 June, aligning it with the anniversary of the 1952 Defiance Campaign.
More than just a commemorative day, the bill could lead to larger campaigns, events, mentorship programmes and awareness initiatives focused on responsible fatherhood and positive male leadership.
Schools, workplaces and communities will also be encouraged to use the day to challenge negative stereotypes surrounding men.
“This ensures Men’s Day is not just symbolic, but rooted in South Africa’s history and a day when men recommit to strengthening families and shaping society responsibly,” said Harris.
“In South Africa, men account for about 80% of all recorded suicides, with the male suicide rate nearly four times higher than that of women,” she added.
One of the bill’s main aims is to address men’s mental health issues and absent fatherhood.
The MENPOWERED campaign will focus on mentorship, responsible fatherhood and restoring families to help reduce the number of children growing up without their fathers, which is estimated to be nearly 65%.
According to The Citizen, other social issues the bill will target include paternity fraud, family trauma, toxic masculinity, and cycles of violence and risky behaviour that contribute to gender-based violence, HIV transmission and abandonment.
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