PRESS RELEASE
Contact:  G. Lawrence DeMarco, LLM
Email: ldemarco@menandboys.net
Phone: 1-215-901-1930

ICMB Unveils High-Impact, Cost-Efficient Strategies to Reduce Male Disparities

December 11, 2025 — The International Council for Men and Boys (ICMB) today unveiled a comprehensive policy framework of 18 targeted reforms to address widespread structural disadvantages faced by men and boys. Grounded in international research, empirical studies, and tested practices, these reforms may avoid costly new programs in favor of low-cost, high-impact policy changes.

From family law and education to health equity and criminal justice, ICMB calls on governments, institutions, and civil society to act decisively. Each initiative is linked to one or more of 12 identified male-disadvantage areas, including fatherlessness, educational issues, suicide, legal bias, and partner abuse (1).  Relevant disparities are listed after each strategy in italics.

  1. Shared Parenting as the Legal Default (Parenting, Legal Systems, Education, The Boy Crisis)
    Multiple international studies confirm that joint physical custody improves emotional, academic, and social outcomes for children, and mitigates father absence—benefiting boys in particular (2).
  2. Restorative Discipline in Schools (Education, The Boy Crisis)
    Replacing exclusionary discipline with restorative practices has led to reduced suspensions and improved student engagement in Canadian, U.S., and global school systems, helping address boys’ higher expulsion rates (3).
  3. Support for Male Caregiving and Equal Custody Access(Parenting, Legal Systems, Education, The Boy Crisis)
    Legal and cultural recognition of fathers as equal caregivers strengthens family cohesion and child well-being, while counteracting systemic exclusion from parenting roles (2, 4).
  4. Gender-Inclusive Domestic Violence Services (Intimate Partner Abuse, Legal Systems, Violence Against Men)
    Denmark and other countries have enacted gender-neutral victim policies, ensuring equal protection and resources for male victims of intimate partner violence (5).
  5. Default Father Inclusion in Child Welfare Cases (Parenting, Legal Systems)
    Father engagement in child-protection improves outcomes and reduces trauma. Reforms should require agencies to identify, notify, and assess fathers before out-of-home placements (6).
  6. Equitable Child Support Policy Reflecting Parenting Time (Parenting, Legal Systems)
    Child support laws should reflect actual parenting time and income to eliminate disincentives for shared parenting (7).
  7. Inclusive Foster Care and Child Welfare Practices (Parenting, Legal Systems)
    Evidence suggests that two-parent involvement improves placement stability. A public health approach to child safety should recognize both parents as essential (6, 8).
  8. Equal Service Eligibility in Housing and Social Support (Homelessness, Legal Systems)
    Policies must prohibit exclusion of males from homelessness, shelter, and health services—an often-overlooked gender equity gap (9).
  9. Father-Inclusive School Engagement (“Parental Bill of Rights”) (Parenting, Education)
    Fathers must have equal access to school records, disciplinary processes, and educational decisions affecting their children (10).
  10. Positive Male Role Models in Early Childhood Education (Education, The Boy Crisis)
    Recruitment of male educators and parental inclusion strategies combat gender stereotyping and promote healthy identity formation in boys (11).
  11. Health and Suicide Data Disaggregated by Sex (Health, The Boy Crisis)
    Governments should report male suicide, addiction, and workplace mortality separately and transparently, guiding more effective interventions (12, 13).
  12. National Awareness Campaigns on Male Suicide and Fatherlessness (Health, The Boy Crisis, Parenting)
    Campaigns to de-stigmatize male vulnerability and promote father involvement should be developed in parallel with mental health initiatives (12).
  13. Curriculum Reform to Address Anti-Male Bias in Media Literacy (Negative Male Media Portrayals, Education)
    Schools should critically evaluate gender bias in media portrayals and include male-inclusive perspectives (14).
  14. Legal Standards Addressing False Allegations (False Allegations, Legal Systems)
    Nations should adopt clear protocols to distinguish credible allegations from weaponized claims in custody and criminal contexts (15)(16).
  15. Decriminalization of Minor Adolescent Behavior (Legal Systems, The Boy Crisis, Education)
    Restorative and behavioral diversion for youth misconduct (e.g., truancy, minor fights) helps reduce criminalization of boys (17).
  16. Visitation Rights and Child Contact for Incarcerated Fathers (Parenting, Legal Systems)
    Policies should ensure father–child bonding opportunities during incarceration to reduce intergenerational trauma (18).
  17. Balanced Representation in Gender Policy Commissions (Legal Systems)
    Equal representation in equality bodies ensures male concerns are not structurally excluded from policy-making.
  18. Equity Audits in Gender-Based Policy (Legal Systems)
    National audits should identify and correct systemic gender bias in law, education, and service delivery.

ICMB urges governments worldwide to act decisively:

  • Implement reforms with strong international evidence immediately.
  • Adopt successful practice-based reforms from peer nations.
  • Where evidence is still emerging, fund pilot projects and mandate data collection.

Every boy and man deserves justice, dignity, and opportunity—not only through costly programs, but through focused policy grounded in fairness and results.

The International Council for Men and Boys is a non-governmental organization that is working to end the 12 sex disparities that affect men and boys around the world. The ICMB is a leader of the emerging global movement to address the 12 areas of male disadvantage.  Achieving #GenderEqualityForMen will also benefit women.  https://www.menandboys.net/

Links:

  1. https://www.menandboys.net
  2. https://www.twohomes.org/conclusions-of-the-sixth-international-conference-on-shared-parenting/
  3. https://www.tdsb.on.ca/Portals/research/docs/reports/RestorativePracticesStudy2006-07to2016-17.pdf
  4. https://www.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29963700
  5. https://endtodv.org/pr/davia-commends-government-of-denmark-for-assuring-equal-support-for-male-victims-of-domestic-violence/
  6. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4389279/
  7. https://www.sharedparenting.org/childsupport
  8. https://aifs.gov.au/research/family-matters/no-96/public-health-approach-enhancing-safe-and-supportive-family
  9. https://www.menandboys.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Homelessness.pdf
  10. https://halrogers.house.gov/_cache/files/6/4/640e803f-92c8-4ffc-b1b0-9a2457a14b5c/E8EBB4CB5ADC7A00997D7B3E35F1AFD5.pbora-summary-as-reported-by-committee-final.pdf
  11. https://www.menandboys.net/boys/
  12. https://www.menandboys.net/health/
  13. https://www.menandboys.net/workplace/
  14. https://www.menandboys.net/media/
  15. https://www.menandboys.net/crime/
  16. https://endtodv.org/coalitions/davia/false-allegations/
  17. https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh176/files/media/document/diversion_programs.pdf
  18. https://www.prisonpolicy.org/blog/2021/12/21/family_contact/