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Listener phone in - should there be a Minister for Men? Could the role ultimately help women?

Nuala McGovern talks to Michael Conroy from Men at Work, which works with teachers and boys in schools. They take listeners' calls on the issue.

On yesterday's programme, the Conservative MP for Don Valley, Nick Fletcher, championed the idea of a Minister for Men. He says statistics show that 75% of people taking their lives are men, that the life expectancy of men is 3.7 years lower than it is for women, that 83% of rough sleepers are men and that 96% of the prison population is men.

Do you agree with Nick? Could a Minister help tackle some of the issues many young men seem to be struggling with, such as masculinity, pornography, consent and their role in society? Could a minister for men also make life better for women? And could it be a way to tackle the rise of influencers such as Andrew Tate – a self-declared misogynist?

Today Nuala McGovern talks to Michael Conroy, the founder of Men at Work, which focuses on unpicking some of the social influences on the values and beliefs of boys and young men – and how some of those influences can manifest in a range of problematic behaviours.

Hear him and have your say live on air by calling Nuala. The phone lines open at 0800 on Wednesday 6 September. Call us on 03700 100 444 or you can text the programme - the number is 84844. Texts will be charged at your standard message rate. On social media we're @Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔWomansHour. And you can email us through our website.

Presenter: Nuala McGovern
Producer Lisa Jenkinson
Studio Managers: Donald McDonald and Emma Harth

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58 minutes

Broadcast

  • Wed 6 Sep 2023 10:00

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