…Guyana Chronicle hosts International Men’s Day activities

MORE positive male role models are needed in society while focus should also be placed on men’s health and wellbeing while overcoming toxic masculinity.

This was the view of Psychologist Wil Campbell during his address at a men’s forum held for male staff of the Guyana Chronicle, on Tuesday, at the Clerical and Commercial Workers Union (CCWU) Boardroom, Quamina Street, Georgetown.

The event was held in observance of International Men’s Day which is observed annually on November 19. The event, which is celebrated worldwide, underscores the positive value men bring to the world, their families and communities.

The theme for International Men’s Day 2019 was: “Making a Difference for Men and Boys.” The psychologist said men do have parenting rights, do suffer domestic abuse and do have unmet mental health needs. Many men are leading lives of quiet desperation. Attacking their supposed toxicity doesn’t help.

He noted that International Men’s Day has been in observance for the past two decades and men should reflect on themselves since they are being beaten down in society. He noted that women are liberated and independent through empowering themselves, while men are not strengthening themselves equally.

“Women have society, but men don’t have that, they do things on their own,” the psychologist said. “We have to get to a place where we strengthen and empower ourselves and each other so that we can keep up with the newly-empowered woman.”
He explained that men do not need to compete with women since their roles are different and unique. “We have to understand our roles, otherwise, what we do is compete with someone who is running a different race,” he said.

Campbell said men are providers who need to accept responsibility for all their actions and inactions in their respective lives.

Further, he said men are physically stronger because they are designed to be protectors and not the violators as seen in many domestic violence cases. The first comprehensive national survey on gender-based violence in Guyana done recently revealed that more than half (55%) of all women experienced at least one form of violence at the hands of their partner.

The various forms of violence against women and girls examined included sexual, physical, emotional and verbal abuse.

While the global estimates show that one in three women worldwide experiences either physical and/or sexual violence, mostly by an intimate partner at some point in their lives, in Guyana, this is one in every two women.

“In Guyana, 38 per cent of women [surveyed] have experienced physical and/or sexual violence, above the global average,” a report launched this month titled “Guyana Women’s Health and Life Experiences Survey (WHLES)” stated.

The survey was administered among 1,498 women between ages 15 and 64 in the 10 administrative regions. Half of all women who experienced intimate-partner violence never sought help, according to the report.

Meanwhile, the psychologist said men need to educate themselves and understand that women also need and deserve to be nurtured and pampered.

“Whenever you put your hands on a woman, ensure that it’s to make her feel good, like a massage or something of that nature,” he noted. “When I say pamper, it means reaching out to women in loving ways.”

Underscoring that such was hard to do when men may find certain things done by women upsetting, the psychologist said it was a man’s responsibility to ensure that he found coping mechanisms and stay away from violence.

Adding that men should aim to be positive role models, he explained that when children look at their parents they learn a lot from their actions and conversations.
“Girls tend to choose men similar to their fathers, even if they hate their fathers, they somehow are drawn to men who treat them the same as their father did,” he noted. He added that if men who have daughters focus on the type of person they are and if they would want their daughter/s to one day bring home a man with their qualities, how they would feel.

As such, he explained that men should always be cognizant of their impact on a child’s life. The psychologist said boys look up to their fathers and inculcate their actions and habits. As such, it was important to be a good role model so that the next generation will benefit from positive upbringing.

He explained that all parents should actively participate in their children’s upbringing while teaching them about life, morals, values and positive traditional roles.
Meanwhile, General Manager (ag) and Administrative Manager, Donna Todd, in her remarks, during the opening session, noted that International Men’s Day was founded to promote positive male role models; not just movie stars and sportsmen but every day, working-class men who were living decent, honest lives.

The General Manager explained that boys and girls needed positive male role models and that was the best way to create a fair and safe society which will allow everyone the opportunity to flourish. She also reminded the attendees that the annual day aimed to improve gender relations; focus on men’s health and wellbeing; promote male role models; celebrate the contributions men make to their communities; highlight the challenges men face and create a safer world for everyone.