Positive men’s movement of South Africa (POMESA) in partnership with South African Network of People Living with HIV and AIDS (NAPWA) organized the first Annual International Men’s Day event. The event was held on the 6th of December 2008 and involved a Men’s March for peace and justice from taxi rank to the national men's rally venue which is Rabasotho hall in Thembisa township, Ekurhuleni, Gauteng. 3000 to 5000 (thousand) men attended this historic event from all provinces of the South Africa, rich and poor, young and old. HIV positive and HIV negative, traditional healers and medical doctors, those staying in township and informal settlements and those staying in places like Sandton and Midrand etcSpeakers in the event included the national government officials, national leadership of POMESA and NAPWA, civil society etc, and included an Annual Men’s Awards event to honor three outstanding men who have or and continue to contribute positively in the creation of peaceful and just society.
POMESA and NAPWA established this day to promote:
Positive roles and responsibilities of men in building a just and peaceful global society free from crime and violence
Mobilize men to unite against all forms of social ills globally
Mobilize men globally to unite and join the fight against HIV and AIDS and other health problems
To set up a day where men globally publicly denounce and reject all forms of crime and violence
To set up a day to focus on issues affecting men including men’s health problems
The intention of POMESA and NAPWA is to promote IMD annually and globally, working with other organizations in other countries to ensure International Men’s Day is celebrated internationally on an agreed date.
POMESA is talking with men from different countries to attend this international Men’s day event. This is part of promoting unity and peace with people from other countries based in South Africa. The International men’s day campaign will allow men in their local areas to gather in a certain area and observe the day through men’s activities that seeks to promote peace and social justice in their local areas.
INTERNATIONAL MEN'S DAY - 2009
In 2008 POMESA and NAPWA celebrated IMD on the December 6. As the December date was not celebrated by other participating countries, discussions were undertaken within both organizations and in May 2009 the Secretary General of NAPWA and POMESA Nkululeko Nxesi announced that the National Boards of both organizations have agreed to celebrate the Men's day on the same dates with other countries beginning on November 19 2009 and in each year thereafter on the same date.
MEN FROM SOUTH AFRICA AND SADC TO CELEBRATE THE 2ND INTERNATIONAL MEN’S DAY
19 November 2009 is International Men’s Day
(Video) In Orlando, Soweto, South Africa, five thousand men gathered to celebrate International Mens Day. The men teamed up to promote gender equality and to emphasise that "not all men are dogs and bad people".
National Association of People Living with HIV and AIDS (NAPWA) and Positive Men’s Movement of South Africa (POMESA) in partnership with Contralesa and ACUMDA and are organizing the 2ndInternational Annual Men’s Day event .which will be held on the 19th of November 2009 (Thursday). Brothers for life are also supporting the event.
About 3000 men from South African provinces and 9 SADC countries will converge in Orlando Community Hall, Soweto in Gauteng to celebrate the 2nd International Men’s day which started last year. Speakers on the day will include men’s leaders from different sectors. The main speaker of the day will be the Deputy President of the country Mr. Kgalema Monthlnthe
We call upon all men, from all walks of life in South Africa to be part of this historic event where men will celebrate positive manhood while taking firm stand against all forms of violence including violence against women and children.
This year’s theme is “Proud to be a caring man. The theme demonstrates that there are many caring men out there who take care of their children, families and their communities while they are those who abuse and even murder other human beings. “We want to encourage all men to protect their families and themselves against HIV and AIDS and all forms of sicknesses. We will also talk about alcohol and substance abuse and other issues that make men to lose dignity and be seen as trouble makers “said Mr. Manene Tabane, the Secretary General of POMESA.
The main objective of the International Men’s Day is to set up a day that promotes positive roles and responsibilities of men to build a just and peaceful global society while mobilizing men to unite against all forms of social ills globally. Importantly men must join the fight against HIV and AIDS and other health problems.
On that day men will publicly denounce, condemn and reject all forms of crime and violence in our country and through out the world.
We will also use this day as a build up to 16 days of activism against women and children and World AIDS day campaigns working with SANAC and NCC.
International Men’s day will be celebrated across the globe on the same day i.e. 19 November and annually. This year South Africa will be celebrating the International Men’s Day with the following countries: Australia, USA, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Haiti, Pakistan, Singapore, Malta, China, India and New Zealand etc.
On the day men will start with a one hour community work in children’s home at Orlando East where men will clean the home, cook for the children while donating food parcels to the home. This will be before the start of the formal program.
Men will then conduct a community outreach activity where we will distribute condoms (includingfemale condoms), HIV and AIDS and other health related material to people on the street targeting men.
On the day Men will also conduct a remembrance session for all women and children who passed away due to violence and abuse. This will include people like Gugu Dlamini, Shadi Rapitso, etc. We will also pay tribute to the late men who contributed positively in our society. This will include Umfazo’Nayama, Gift Leremi, Vuyo Mokena, Lesley Manyathela etc.
After the speech by Deputy President all man will sign a pledge committing themselves to promote and uphold human rights, good health and committing themselves in building a peaceful and prosperous society.
