A New Chapter for Men and Boys

Earlier this week, something significant took place in the UK that warrants our attention.

The Centre for Policy Research on Men and Boys (CPRMB) was officially launched at Central Hall Westminster. Chaired by Richard V. Reeves, President of the American Institute for Boys and Men and author of the acclaimed Of Boys and Men, this new think tank is the first of its kind in the UK, focused specifically on the challenges men and boys face in modern society.

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting MP, delivered a powerful keynote at the launch event. His message was clear: men’s health is in crisis, and action is urgently needed. From suicide and mental illness to cancer and cardiovascular disease, men remain consistently underrepresented in public health strategies. Streeting welcomed the creation of the CPRMB and emphasised that tackling these issues is vital not only for men and boys, but for the wellbeing of society as a whole.

What makes this initiative so timely is the clarity of its mission: to understand what is happening to men and boys in the UK, determine what needs to be done, and then take meaningful action. Importantly, this is not a zero-sum game. As Reeves and others have noted, supporting men and boys does not mean detracting from efforts to empower women and girls. In fact, the success of one group often enables the success of the other.

The CPRMB’s focus areas reflect the scale and complexity of the challenges at hand:

• Health – including suicide prevention, and both physical and mental health

• Education – addressing persistent underachievement among boys

• Fatherhood and Family – supporting involved fatherhood and strong family units

• Economy, Employment and Skills – helping men adapt to changing labour markets

• Criminal Justice – tackling overrepresentation of men in the prison system

• Male Identity – addressing stigma and outdated stereotypes around masculinity

• Media and Culture – challenging how men are depicted and understood

This new centre arrives at a moment when conversations around gender are often highly polarised. It is both refreshing and essential to see a research-led, empathetic, and solutions-focused approach to the issues affecting boys and men.

As someone who works on psychological safety, wellbeing, and inclusion in male-dominated sectors such as engineering, I see first-hand how the silence around men’s struggles, loneliness, shame, the pressure to perform, harms individuals and workplaces alike.

The launch of CPRMB sends an important signal: it is time for government, business, and society to take the wellbeing of men and boys seriously.

If your organisation talks about inclusion but hasn’t made space for men’s experiences, now is the moment to begin.

Because a truly inclusive society must work for everyone.

See Mark in Action!