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

Take Action Now: 35 Countries Echo Global Reports of Male Disadvantage

August 14, 2025 — A recent report from the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that men are dying by suicide at a rate of 12.6 per 100,000—more than twice the rate for women (5.4 per 100,000) (1). Research from six continents and diverse political, economic, and cultural systems confirms that male-specific inequalities are a worldwide problem.

International evidence shows men and boys face measurable disadvantages across multiple life domains. Analyses conducted in 35 countries by the International Council for Men and Boys align with findings from the UN, WHO, World Bank, OECD, and UNESCO, showing male disparities are not isolated to certain regions or sub-populations.

Key Global Patterns

  • Life Expectancy: On average, men live five years fewer than women worldwide, with some countries showing gaps as high as 10 years (2).
  • Mortality & Safety: Males comprise 81% of homicide victims (3) and over 90% of workplace fatalities (4).
  • Education: Boys have higher learning poverty rates in nearly all countries and lag behind girls in reading proficiency by an average of 24 OECD points (5).
  • Homelessness: Men represent roughly three-quarters of the global homeless population (6).
  • Violence & Legal Bias: Men receive harsher sentencing in criminal courts (7) and face significant barriers to parental custody (8).

Countries Confirming These Patterns

The following are the countries in which country-specific analyses have been accomplished thus far (9):

  • Africa: Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia
  • Asia: China, India, Israel, Pakistan
  • Europe: Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
  • Latin America and the Caribbean: Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Chile, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, St. Kitts and Nevis
  • North America: Canada, United States
  • Oceania: Australia, New Zealand

Future analyses will be conducted in additional countries.

A Call for Action
Media should report male-specific inequalities alongside women’s issues to give a full picture of gender disparities. And lawmakers should integrate male-focused metrics into equality policies, fund research and programs addressing male health, education, and safety.

Evidence from every continent, across developed and developing nations, shows these disparities are a recurring global reality requiring recognition and action.

The International Council for Men and Boys works to celebrate men’s contributions and end the 12 sex disparities affecting men and boys worldwide. Achieving #GenderEqualityForMen will also benefit women. https://www.menandboys.net/

Links:

  1. https://www.iasp.info/2025/06/02/who-suicide-data/
  2. https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/themes/mortality-and-global-health-estimates
  3. https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/data-and-analysis/global-study-on-homicide.html
  4. https://www.ilo.org/global/topics/safety-and-health-at-work/lang–en/index.htm
  5. https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/pisa-2022-results-volume-i_53f23881-en.html
  6. https://www.menandboys.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Homelessness.pdf
  7. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/256027303_Estimating_Gender_Disparities_in_Federal_Criminal_Cases
  8. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340653704_Joint_Physical_Custody_and_Adolescents’_Life_Satisfaction_in_37_North_American_and_European_Countries
  9. https://www.menandboys.net/country/