World Mental Health Day 2022: Our partners’ work
This year’s theme for World Mental Health Day was to make Mental Health & Wellbeing for all a Global Priority. Members of GMHAN around the world have raised our voices to demand both attention and action on mental health. Here are examples of what some of GMHAN’s 2200 members have done to celebrate World Mental Health Day 2022.
Global Organisations
World Health Organisation
Building on the WHO Mental Health Report published earlier this year, WHO shared new social media resources to tackle stigma and discrimination and to encourage greater action on mental health. WHO also announced a Sport for Health partnership with the Ministry of Public Health of Qatar. The three-year partnership is using the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 as the platform to share important health messaging with a global audience. The Pan-American Health Organisation launched a new campaign tackling stigma and discrimination in mental health in the Americas with a range of materials to help share messages on social media.
World Mental Health Federation
Every year the World Federation for Mental Health publishes a booklet in the run up to World Mental Health Day. This year the booklet helped introduce the theme for this year’s World Mental Health day, Make Mental Health & Wellbeing a Global Priority. Compiled with the help of collaborators from all over the world, including HRH Princess Iman Afzan Al-Sultan Abdullah, Dévora Kestel (Director, Mental Health and Substance Use Department, World Health Organization), Jullie Millard & Leanne Beagley (The Oceania region of the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) includes Australia, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.) You can read more here
Lancet Commission Report on Ending Stigma and Discrimination in Mental Health
The new Lancet Commission report on Ending Stigma and Discrimination in Mental Health launched on World Mental Health Day with a global event hosted by the WHO.
This first of its kind research includes the voices of people with mental health conditions in its investigation of the role of media in stigma and discrimination, as well as in developing recommended solutions. Over 50 experts took part from around the world. Alongside testimonies and contributions from people with lived experience, the Commission has reviewed the evidence on effective interventions to reduce stigma and calls for immediate action from governments and international organisations, employers, healthcare providers, media organisations and people with lived experience to work together to eliminate mental health stigma.
Following a series of roundtables and discussions with over 50 journalists, the Global Mental Health Peer Network (GMHPN) and United GMH launched a media manifesto caling for media organisations to play their part in ending stigma and discrimination in mental health.
Watch the launch event in English, French or Spanish here
UNICEF
UNICEF marked World Mental Health Day with their #OnMyMind campaign highlighting the need for better mental health provision for young people world wide; with that in mind, they also launched a new chat-bot function on its U-Report channel, aimed at helping young people to build self-acceptance and talk about mental health in a non-stigmatising way.
National Organisations
Bangladesh: ADD International Bangladesh
Together with community and religious groups, a mass rally and gatherings and discussion events were organised on the theme of the day focusing mental health awareness and improving mental health support system at the grass roots level of Bangladesh. A new report and poster were published tackling stigma in the country.
Caribbean Region: The Caribbean Voice
Taking the issue of mental health head on, Caribbean Voice organised an online panel discussion, exploring particularly the situation in the Caribbean region, what progress has been made and how we go forward.
Ghana: Bernard/Basic Needs
Basic Needs held discussions to establish tribunals and committees mandated under Mental Health law to ensure access to services and that rights are not abused at community level. Basic Needs worked with people with lived experience to share their experiences on radio and TV to help educate the public about mental health. They are also working with traditional rulers to ensure people living with mental health conditions are taken care of at community level, and to ensure bye-laws to guide against abuse are enacted.
Ireland: St Patrick's Mental Health Services
St Patrick’s Mental Health Services hosted ‘Walk in my shoes Live’; a week long online campaign with different activities focused on learning more about mental health; how we can support people; and ways to help end stigma about mental health. The campaign looked at a range of mental health difficulties, including those that can sometimes be less talked about or understood.
India: Mariwala Health Initiative
Taking on the global theme, the Mariwala published the newest edition of their journal. This year's journal deals primarily with mental health and climate justice; and how systemic failures in both consistently fall hardest on the most marginalised- particularly indigenous groups. This was alongside the introduction of new Suicide Prevention Action training for social workers and NGOs to respond to suicide prevention by providing psychosocial support and care.
Indonesia: PR_YAKKUM
PR-YAKKUM developed and launched the first Indonesian mental health declaration in collaboration with religious organisations. PR-Yakkum also organised national in-person events for World Mental Health Day and planned a record breaking attempt for the largest mental health awareness campaign.
Kenya: Basic Needs, Basic Rights
Kenya's very vibrant anti-stigma campaign the 14th gave Kenyans a green light to Speak Up about mental health and create safe spaces for others to do so. For 12 hours one of Nairobi's highest buildings in partnership with BNBR was lit up in green raising a mental health online conversation among mental health champions and members of the public reaching about 600 people.
Kenya: Betterme.Org
Better Me organised community engagement and activation events, including a 4km sensitisation walk around World Mental Health Day. At one point the campaign gained the support of Kisumu County’s Chief Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Health, Dr. Gregory Ganda, who wore our (green) Better Me t-shirt during the event. Better Me is committed to work closely with government and civil society stakeholders, to address mental health and prevent its effects, such as domestic violence, suicide, abandonment of children and depression.
Kenya: Caregivers’ Mental Health Guidebook
In preparation for the World Mental Health Day the vibrant Caregivers' program at Basic Needs Basic Rights Kenya and partners put together a guidebook where caregivers in our programs can find quick tips and prompts for action.
Nigeria: Rasheedat Balogun
A documentary made in commemoration for World Mental Health Day debuted. Titled “Mental health for all: a priority”, it takes a look at the state of mental health in Nigeria with emphasis on it’s success and setbacks. The documentary highlights the way forward on the path of prioritising mental health in the country.
South Africa: Waves for Change
Waves for Change organised a month-long communications campaign on the theme of making mental health a priority for all with radio, TV, newspapers and social media; organising teacher circles with the schools. WfC focused on destigmatising mental health and sharing tools to promote coping skills; organising a learning partners event on 5th Oct, involving strategic partners and focussing on social connectedness.
Uganda: Alive Again Foundation
The Alive Again Foundation reached out over 5 days from 10th itself to the 14th, with 10 volunteers who have lived experience of mental illness using their stories to fight stigma, to educate the community about the benefits of supporting people with mental illness.
Uganda: Awesome Mind Speaks
This year's Generational Perspective Dialogue #GPD22 on the 10/10/2022 under the theme "Sustainability and Scalability of Mental Health in Uganda" took place in commemoration of the World Mental Health Day #worldmentalhealthday.
Private Sector
Global Business Collaboration for Better Workplace Mental Health
An online event was held on World Mental Health Day, with senior business leaders bringing together a global community of visionary business leaders, who are committed to prioritising workplace mental health in their own organisations, to share their insights and good practice that will accelerate positive action on mental health at work – wherever a business is on its journey.
Disney/ESPN
Disney/ESPN launched a new campaign, the Choose Kindness project, to help stop bullying and support parents and caregivers to support young people at risk of bullying. Disney, ESPN and ABC News have came together and are working with 22 non profits. The project has awarded US $1 million for organisations working on mental health. The campaign is focused on the US this year and will be expanding into Europe next year. Learn more by watching the #MHForAll webinar.
Join the GMHAN Circle - our exclusive members-only network
We are eager to invite GMHAN members and contributors to our exclusive online community platform, GMHAN CIRCLE.
Join one of our working groups, engage with existing member’s work, or post about your own work about how we prioritise making Mental Health & Well-Being a Global Priority for all.