By Ogenyi Isaac Agbo

Abuja, Nigeria — In a major step toward transforming mental health governance in conflict-affected regions, key representatives from the Federal Ministry of Health, the Borno State Government, legislative bodies, mental health professionals, civil society, and international development partners gathered in Abuja from April 20th to 24th, 2026.

By Zane, Muskan, Murilo

Youth leadership in many spaces mirrors the idea of personal sacrifice, where there is sometimes an expectation that commitment to a cause should compensate for insecure work. One of the lessons from the Impact Fund that resonates with us is the emphasis on flexible, trust-based funding and investment in organisational capacity.

By Naomi Kaba

Pendant quatre jours, vingt-six pays de la Région africaine de l’Ouest et du Centre se sont retrouvés dans la capitale togolaise, sur invitation du Bureau régional de l'OMS pour l'Afrique et avec le soutien du Wellcome Trust, pour une seule question : comment accélérer, concrètement, la marche vers les objectifs 2030 de la Région en matière de santé mentale ?

By Oluwaferanmi Omitoyin

Following the momentum built during the East and Southern Africa Inter country Meeting, which underscored priorities such as suicide prevention, community based care, and lived experience leadership, the baton was passed on to the Central and West African subregions to lay down frameworks and reforms that reflected the current realities and future aspirations of the region in reimagining mental health care.

By Muskan Lamba

We are increasingly talking about mental health as a priority beyond the health sector, affected by issues within housing, labour conditions, inequality, displacement, toxic environmental exposure, and social protection systems. The connections between the SDG themes and mental health are far more direct than they appear on a policy matrix—and yet, beyond a single suicide mortality indicator under SDG 3 (2025’s thematic focus), mental health is absent from mainstream SDG discourse

More than 500 mental health, disability, and substance use leaders travelled to Ottawa in June for the Global Leadership Exchange's 2026 Network Meeting, following more than 30 knowledge-exchange Matches held across Canada in the days before.

GLE remains one of the genuinely useful spaces in this field: a place built for peer-to-peer learning among leaders of all kinds, from lived experience advocates to health ministries, and we came away from the week with more than we brought.

Over the last four weeks, the LGBTQI+ Working Group used GMHAN’s social channels (follow on Instagram) to share the voices of people in Fiji, Ecuador, the Philippines, Zimbabwe, South Africa, India and Australia, letting them express what queer mental health looks like where they live. Their stories remind us that LGBTQI+ people are not just victims. We are activists, researchers, artists, policy makers and even heroes.

By Sia Edward

The Mental Health Intercountry Meeting for East and Southern Africa provided a timely and important opportunity for governments, mental health professionals, civil society organisations, people with lived experience, and regional stakeholders to reflect on progress toward achieving the 2030 African Region Mental Health Targets.

Drawing on responses from 228 participants representing 63 countries, the survey explores the extent and impact of mental health stigma on individuals’ lives, the actions being taken to challenge it, and the level of policy attention, funding, and institutional support dedicated to this work across all global regions.

A year later on from the UN HLM on NCDs and Mental Health, we remain dedicated to ensuring that mental health is prioritised at WHA. Across a jam-packed week of side events, bilateral meetings, and networking sessions in Geneva, one message came through clearly: global commitments must now translate into meaningful action and tangible change, with communities closest to the challenges not only shaping the solutions, but leading the way forward.

by Desarie Nicholas, LCSW

Across Grenada and the wider Caribbean, there is growing recognition that suicide prevention cannot rely solely on crisis response. It requires coordinated, upstream action that addresses stigma, access to care, school environments, family support, and the broader social conditions that shape young people’s mental health and wellbeing.

by Maxwell Chacha, Valid Dream Mentorship, Eldoret, Kenya

On March 7th, a convening in Uasin Gishu County, in Eldoret, Kenya, demonstrated that when local organizations, county governments, and global networks align, mental health advocacy becomes a powerful social movement. This event was not isolated; it was part of a coordinated global advocacy moment, aligning local priorities with the Global Mental Health Action Network's key messages for International Women’s Day.

by Dalia Elasi

Dalia looks back at the 4th Global Mental Health Advocacy Forum and reflects on the current challenges for the Eastern Mediterranean Region. GMHAN, in collaboration with the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, is now hosting the groundbreaking Regional Coalition for Mental health and Substance Use Prevention. At the Forum, members began shaping a shared roadmap for advancing mental health through collective action.

Celebrating International Women’s Day 2026. Across GMHAN, global and growing membership there are several civil society organisations that focus on women’s mental health. It remains critical that their voices continue to shape the field. We are presenting here their advocacy priorities, key areas for their work, and inspiring member stories.

By Alexandra Schuster, on behalf of The Lancet Psychiatry Commission on COVID-19 and Mental Health

Reporting from the MQ Mental Health Research and Lancet Psychiatry Standing Commission on the COVID-19 Pandemic and Mental Health. Reflections and recommendations on clinical practice, policy and public health.

by GMHAN’s Child & Youth Working Group

Submission by our Working Group to OHCHR’s call for inpurts to study the impact of mental health challenges on the enjoyment of human rights by young people. This will be presented at the 63rd session of the Human Rights Council in September 2026.

by Hannah Morillo
Hannah shares her professional and personal highlights from the 4th Global Mental Health Advocacy Forum. From indigenous mental health to LGBTQI+ solidarity, and from challenging existing narratives to meeting friends old and new, the Forum brought an unmistakable energy to continue to spark and catalyse our work.

By Tabitha Ellis

Tabitha reflects on the importance and timing of the 4th Global Mental Health Advocacy Forum and the three words that echoed through the halls of the Convention Center in the Philippines. She argues that we should use its learnings and connections to build leadership that can support the implementation of the Political Declaration of the 4th UN High-Level Meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases and Mental Health.

This week, more than 300 mental health advocates from over 70 countries gathered at the 4th Global Mental Health Advocacy Forum in the Philippines to share experiences and forge new partnerships to address mental health issues worldwide.

The 4th Global Mental Health Advocacy Forum 2026 is right around the corner! Are you ready to join us and reshape global mental health advocacy together? We are thrilled to gather in Iloilo City, Philippines, for what will be a turning point for our movement with an ever relevant theme: "Reimagining Global Mental Health: No Voice Left Behind."