All India Men’s Welfare Association (AIMWA)
Launch of “All India Men’s Welfare Association (AIMWA)”
11 October 2009
Venue: Public Gardens, Opposite Jubilee Hall
Hyderabad, India
Why do we need an “All India Men’s Welfare Association”?
Welfare of boys and men has been seriously neglected in India over the last two decades. While proudly championing the cause of women’s rights and women’s empowerment, the government and society tacitly approved the propagation of anti-male sentiments, condoned the resultant diminution in value of men’s lives and supported blatant violation of men’s rights through discriminatory laws and policies. The growing apathy of the government and society towards the sufferings of men has necessitated the formation of an All India Men’s Welfare Association.
It has to be noted that while men still perform some of the most risky and challenging jobs in the society, and while the Government of India collects 82% of its tax revenue from men, not a single rupee has been allocated in the name of men’s welfare in the country’s budget in the last 60 years.
The National Family Health Survey, conducted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, does not consider men’s health and welfare important. Enormous focus on women and children, and the mention of men only in relation to how they should contribute to the health and welfare of women and children, clearly indicates the apathy of the Government towards men.
The homepage of the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) cites Vardhamana Mahavira, the sage of total non-violence, who said, “All beings are fond of themselves, they like pleasure, they hate pain, they shun destruction, they like life and want to live long. To all, life is dear; hence their life should be protected.” While Mahavira’s teachings seem to have inspired the Indian Government to assign a separate ministry to look after issues of Animal Welfare through AWBI, the same Government did not see any necessity to establish a Ministry for Men’s Welfare.
Several laws have been passed in the last 60 years in the name of protection of women and their empowerment. However, there are no laws to protect boys and men from any form of abuse or harassment within and outside the home. Men are being subjected to severe discrimination under law, and their basic human rights are being violated every day in the name of more and more legal provisions that claim to empower and protect women.
Thousands of men are becoming victims of “legal terrorism” unleashed through laws like Indian Penal Code Section 498A, Protection of Women Against Domestic Violence Act, adultery laws, laws against rape and sexual harassment, and even divorce, maintenance and child custody laws.
While society is applauding more and more women getting educated, entering the job market and challenging their traditional roles within the family and society, men are still being shackled to their traditional duties of protecting and providing for women, children and the aged.
The growing disregard and hatred against men in our society is forcing more than 56,000 Indian men to end their lives every year. According to statistics obtained from the National Crime Records Bureau, every year, twice as many married men, compared to women, commit suicides unable to withstand verbal, emotional, economic and physical abuse and legal harassment. Deaths of these men make for the brief stories we often read in newspapers stating that a certain man “killed himself due to family issues or financial problems”. While every death of a young married woman is converted into a case of dowry death leading to immediate arrest of the husband and in-laws, accompanied by media-hype, male-bashing and breast-beating, large-scale suicides of men do not cause any outrage in the society.
Domestic and social harmony will prevail only when women AND men are ensured their rightful, honorable place within and outside the home. In addition, when we ensure true gender equality under law, litigations will be reduced, legal terrorism and extortion through misuse of the law will be eliminated, and our human and financial resources can be employed for betterment of the society and the country.
The aim of AIMWA is to work towards providing protection for men and boys against gender discrimination, domestic violence, sexual harassment and other forms of abuse. The organization will also focus on related issues like physical and mental health of men, and the need for social changes, policy reforms and legal solutions to men’s problems.
| More from Anthrope1
Stumble It!
dear sir
I fully agree with your views.men are daily harressed by judisry,police, media, polticians ,at work place,home and public places in name of protection of women nobody is there to listen cry of a man.Innocent men ,their families old parents,young childern are being sent to jail,beaten up,drgged in courts ,extracted money and their whole life is being ruined in name of women welfair by state run corrupt system.Daily we come to hear news about women trapping innocent men in sexual harresment cases,rape cases and men are behind the bar without any inqury.Iwant to be actively participate in association and be member of this
DR NIPIN GARG
Dear Sir,
I am also a victim and need of some support from this type of “All India Men’s Welfare Association” i am very proud to see such a association who can help or can give some suggestion for what is going on in present life, as there are no body to think what is going in and around of our life’s, most of the people blindly believe the women s created problems and making issues and disturbing the whole family into violations, and as per our Indian rules are supporting women s with out knowing the exact disturbance, just by only one complaint as harassment, Police will take action without knowing what exactly happened.
I fully support this community
Thank you.
with Regards,
Vinod
Sir,
I also support some this type of association All India Men’s Welfare Association because there are so many problem where a man is take so many stress as married life there is a only one problem that we cannot apply for court because court is not serious about any true ness of man’s family activity. Whenver a woman call in FIR that she is harrassed from family in all cases there woman are also wrong and there is no any organisation to take action they at first rush for husband home and take him to the police station whenever it is wrong or right and our courts advocate price rate also so high. It is impossible for a middle class family.
I fully support this community.
With regards
Ram Mohan Nag
It is indeed heartening to see this. The issuses of men and men’s welfare have long been neglected and men infact are being treated as second-class citizens for a long time. There have been a number of discriminatory laws against men and the media never – yes never – empathises with harsh and difficult realities that men face in a variety of situations. The cause that you have taken is very important and critical. Best wishes, Jon
I have been looking forward for such organization for a long time. I need almost immediate help and advice. Is there some contact information or group meetings held to discuss the issues being faced by men in domestic situations and what recourse they have?
I am not knowledgeable in legal matters and being a common man, am simply afraid of the police. the couple of times I had to deal with them due to issues at home, they were totally on my wife’s side since she cried in front of them.
Would like to connect with a support group and figure out a way out of this situation.
Sir,
I want to have contact information of Men Welfare Association
[...] India Men’s Welfare Association (AIMWA) was launched in Hyderabad on the 11th October 2009 to work in the area of elimination of all kinds of discrimination against boys and men. Today, this [...]
[...] event of a father’s rights march in Mexico City. The men in the country of India have risen up and made their presence known with clarity and power. Dads on the Air, a pro male radio program has [...]
Its good to know about AIMWA.. At least now there is someone to help mens..
Can i get the contact detail of AIMWA…??? I want to be actively participate and be member of this association…
Jai Hooo for mens..
Dear sir,
Even i completely support for this association and actually am in a stage even tried to suicide several times due to my wife mental harassment,abuses,negligence,and irresponsible behaviour towards me and my family,the most high light is sexual dissatisfaction.I have my sister and my mother whom she always blames,as everyone know the law supports only female but not male for the above reasons and that is the reason i am not able to give a F.I.R in fear of she may lie and file a Dowry harassment case on my family….Please help me am undergoing lot of mental illness.