Shree Shivaji Vidya Mandir in Pune's Aundh witnessed a celebration of International Men’s Day on Wednesday (November 19). Over 100 students, along with their teachers, actively participated in essay and drawing competitions organised by volunteers from the Save Indian Family Foundation (SIFF).
SIFF, a men's rights NGO, had declared “Supporting Men and Boys" as the theme for this year's International Men’s Day. "The initiative encouraged young minds to reflect on the vital roles men play in society and to express their appreciation through creative expression," the organisation said in a release.
SIFF stated that the reason behind the celebration was that the "suicides of married men have skyrocketed from 68,815 in 2019 to over 83,713 in 2022, and the trend continued into 2023, with marriage-related suicides among men outnumbering those among women for the second consecutive year."
"That’s an increase of nearly 15,000 cases in just three years. In stark contrast, the number of suicides among married women has remained relatively stable at around 28,000 per year for the past 15 years. Family-related issues remain the leading cause of suicide among married men, followed by health concerns. Alarmingly, nearly 51% of all male suicides are attributed to family problems, underscoring the urgent need for gender-inclusive mental health and legal support systems," the release added.
