A History of Men’s Health Week

International Men’s Health Week (IMHW) has been celebrated in Australia since 2003.  Throughout the 1990s various Australian States and Territories set aside a week to highlight men’s health issues.  These weeks were celebrated at different times of the years and each had its own focus and priorities.

Other countries were also running men’s health week.  The UK, USA, Canada, Hong Kong and other European countries also had their own weeks and days set aside to promote male health issues.

Representatives from six leading men's health organisations around the world met at the 2nd World Congress on Men's Health in Vienna, Austria in 2002 and resolved to work together to launch International Men's Health Week (IMHW).  Australia was represented at this meeting by the Men’s Health Information and Resource Centre, at the University of Western Sydney, who had been coordinating men’s health week in NSW since 2000.

The aim of IMHW is to increase awareness of male health issues on a global level and to encourage inter- and intra-national institutions to develop health policies and services that meet men's specific needs.

Since 2003 International Men’s Health Week has grown from strength to strength in Australia.  The number of IMHW events has steadily grown and 2008 was the first time men’s health week events occurred in every state and territory.  The importance of the week was also recognised in 2008, when Nicola Roxon, the Commonwealth Minister for Health and Ageing announced that the Australian Government would be developing a men’s health policy www.health.gov.au/menshealthpolicy

To find our about men’s health week across the world visit http://www.imhw.org/