To help battle the trend of absentee fathers, Phenomenal Women Inc plans to establish a National Men's Day, to be recognised annually on September 13.

Outside City Hall on Monday, Phenomenal Women president Margret Giloth announced the new programme and events planned to celebrate it.

"We will encourage men in Bermuda to participate in events with their families to learn about each other through fun activities," said Ms Giloth. "We will also provide Bermuda men with the tools, resources and connections they need to make this transformation successful and meaningful."

For the last two years, Phenomenal Women has tried to promote women's empowerment through various initiatives such as the Eagle Wings ministry, a self healing programme.

Recognising the important role men play in the family, they have now turned their attention to males.

Men, Ms Giloth said, deal with problems as significant as those of women, but they are less likely to ask for assistance.

"That is why we're making this a community initiative," she said.

While National Men's Day will not be until September 13, events leading up to the day will start on August 30 with a "Walk the Walk" shoe drive, where men are asked to donate old, but still good, shoes, which will be given at the Men's Day event.

In the two days leading up to National Men's Day, Phenomenal Women will be holding meetings for women and teenagers featuring guest speaker Dennis Rahiim Watson, the president of American group Saving Our Youth.

"We want the teens to express themselves about fatherhood and brotherhood," said Ms Giloth.

On the day itself, a number of events will be held at the National Stadium, featuring a number of speakers and entertainers, both local and international, a "bike-a-thon" and a soup kitchen to provide guests with food.

Ms Giloth described the planned event as a "Big Expo", which she hopes will feature representatives from a large number of local groups.

"It's important that the whole family comes out and finds out where they should go if there are problems at home," she said.

The organisation is still looking for more groups to be involved and additional funding to ensure that the event becomes annual and the programme can help families year-round.

"We need to come together. We expect every leader, organisation and individual to participate," she said. "We can't afford not to."