Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

International Men’s Day

25 November 2021 · 6 other contributors · 13,348 words

Opened by Nicholas Fletcher

Responding minister: Kemi Badenoch

Women & Equalities

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Nicholas Fletcher raised concerns about international men’s day in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • Nicholas Fletcher expressed concerns about men and young boys lagging behind in maths and English, facing higher rates of unemployment, suicide, and lower life expectancy compared to women.
  • Fletcher called for an active campaign to encourage more men to become teachers and for policies that support positive male role models in schools and other settings.
  • The minister acknowledged the importance of addressing stereotypes that limit aspirations and seeking help, aligning with Fletcher's call for recognition of issues faced by men and boys.

Key requests to Government

Fletcher asks for an active campaign to encourage more men to become teachers, recognition of the need for positive male role models in schools, clubs, and other settings, celebration of masculinity rather than vilification, and policies that help build strong families and communities around assisting young boys to turn into great men.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Nicholas Fletcher

Nicholas Fletcher is concerned about the challenges faced by men and young boys in education and health settings, noting that they are lagging behind in maths and English, have higher rates of unemployment or lack of education compared to women, suffer from higher suicide rates, lower life expectancy, and a significant portion of rough sleepers and prison inmates are male. He argues that while males have had opportunities women did not have, the issues facing many men should not be ignored.

Other contributors (6)
  • Anneliese Dodds Lab Co-op Oxford East

    Highlighted the importance of addressing inequalities affecting men, citing suicide rates and educational disparities. Emphasized mental health services need, early intervention in education and health issues, and called for a holistic approach to tackle deep-rooted inequalities.

  • Chris Clarkson Con Don Valley

    In an intervention, Chris Clarkson disagreed with Gavin Newlands' comments regarding responsibility for violence against women and stated that men should take responsibility but also pointed out successful schemes in his local area where equality is being addressed.

  • Gavin Newlands SNP Paisley and Renfrewshire North

    The MP disagreed with the concept of International Men's Day, arguing that it is a response to feminism and women's rights. He cited statistics on suicide rates among men in Scotland and supported actions by the Scottish Government aimed at improving mental health support and preventing suicides.

  • Margaret Ferrier SNP Rutherglen and Hamilton West

    She highlighted the importance of International Men's Day, emphasizing the need to address social isolation among men. She mentioned that 8 million men feel lonely at least once a week and 3 million daily, with many not wanting to admit it. Ferrier also pointed out issues such as barriers in accessing healthcare for mental health and physical health problems, especially for ethnic minority men. She raised the need for further research on how to overcome these barriers.

  • Maria Miller Con Hampshire South, Test and North Downs

    Celebrated the positive contributions of men in society while highlighting issues such as social isolation, mental health disparities, and stereotypes perpetuated by media. Raised concerns about male suicide rates being higher than those for women, with 75% of suicides last year being men aged 20-59. Discussed the importance of challenging gender and ethnic stereotypes, promoting open conversations on mental health, and addressing online safety issues through the upcoming Online Safety Bill. Argued that progress for one gender does not need to come at the expense of another, advocating for an approach where both men and women can improve their lives.

  • Scott Benton Lab Weaver Vale

    Mr Benton highlighted the issues faced by men in society, including higher rates of suicide and worse health outcomes compared to women. He also pointed out that boys perform worse than girls on key educational measures and discussed the importance of positive male role models for improving education outcomes and mental health. Acknowledged the rise of female MPs and expressed concern about the impact of negative actions attributed to male party leaders on women's confidence to report issues related to sexual violence.

Government Response

Kemi Badenoch

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Sharma. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Don Valley (Nick Fletcher) for securing this debate and for his ongoing work to ensure that the issues faced by men and boys are not neglected... Several Members mentioned stereotypes and role models, and I agree with the arguments made. Not only can stereotypes prevent some people from seeking help when they need it, but they can also limit people's aspirations in school. Capable young boys can be held back from reaching their potential... One of the themes for this year's International Men's Day celebrations is better relations between men and women. This reflects the Government's equalities work. It is not about pitting one deserving group against another, but about ensuring that everyone is able to make the most of the opportunities offered in our country and gets the support they need to make their lives a success... The hon. Member for Paisley and Renfrewshire North (Gavin Newlands) took an interesting approach to this debate. I tend to believe that on these occasions we highlight the positive more than the negative... By working together, we can make real progress on the important issues raised today.

Get updates like this by email
▸ Assessment & feedback
Summary accuracy