Gauteng: The Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) in the Gauteng province is today hosting a policy dialogue on men's mental health in South Africa titled 'Closing the Gender Gap in Policy and Practice'.
According to South African Government News Agency, the CGE stated that men's mental health remains an urgent yet under-addressed public policy issue in South Africa. Recent evidence indicates that approximately 80% of suicide deaths in the country are among men, emphasizing the need for greater attention to the social, cultural, and structural factors affecting men's mental health outcomes.
The dialogue aims to bring together stakeholders from government, academia, civil society, and the mental health sector. The goal is to examine policy gaps, strengthen gender-responsive responses, and develop evidence-based recommendations.
Additionally, the engagement is expected to contribute to the formulation of a CGE Policy Brief on Men's Mental Health in South Africa, which will support advocacy and policy reform efforts.