#MHForAll Webinar: World Mental Health Day Reflections and Next Steps
On Tuesday 26th September, a panel of experts met to reflect on World Mental Health Day and discuss what we can do to make mental health a priority all year round. This webinar was held twice to accommodate to allow members across all timezones to get involved.
Webinar panellists:
Saisha Manan, Mariwala Health Initiative (Chair) Juliana Fleury, ASECS Brasil (Chair)
Evheniya Usychenko, Teenergizer Harun Abdullah, ADD International
Moitreyree Sinha, CitiesRISE Matt Hughsam, CitiesRISE
Peter Yaro, BasicNeeds Ghana James Sale, United for Global Mental Health
Christian Guzman Mazuelos, LIBREMENTE Sophie Marie Kostelecky, PMNCH
Florencia Dias Arana, Ministry of Health - Argentina
Replay session 1 of 2:
Session notes:
Aligning Mental Health Services with Human Rights Law
This year’s WMHD theme was “Mental Health is a Universal Right.” Christian Guzman Mazuelos from LIBREMENTE spoke about the multi-faceted approaches needed to ensure people living with mental health conditions are treated with respect, and dignity and are protected against discrimination. Championing robust mental health laws, and ensuring there is clear information about existing laws and services available in multiple languages is essential in protecting rights.
As well as this, Christian highlights that people with lived experience should always be asked to provide informed consent for mental health services and their privacy must be protected. To drive sustainable change in line with human rights legislation, more must be done to invest in the training and capacity building of service providers.
Youth Mental Health in Ukraine
In Ukraine, discussions about mental health began about a year ago amid the ongoing conflict. Current challenges include the fragmentation of services, a lack of clear referral pathways, and persistent stigma. A survey conducted by Teenergizer in collaboration with UNICEF among Ukrainian youth found that approximately 55% had never received mental health support despite experiencing depression. In addition to a lack of professionals with appropriate training and certification, mental health is not given the same importance as physical health.
As future leaders, young people need to understand the mental health agenda and advocate for it. To address these issues, the involvement of young people as peers in mental health support is crucial. Initiatives including training teenagers in mental health and providing them with the knowledge to support their friends and online peer-to-peer support are underway, aligning with the theme of WMHD. Teenergizer are taking steps to provide psychosocial education and are seeking government support to reach all young people.
CitiesRISE’s Centered Cities Call to Action
CitiesRISE commemorated WMHD with a dual approach—locally and globally. Locally, activities were organised in cities such as Nairobi, where the Ministry of Health, local government, and CitiesRISE collaborated to create a youth village that showcased youth-led initiatives and facilitated dialogue with the government. These initiatives aimed to integrate mental health into a human rights framework and featured intergenerational conversations.
At the global level, CitiesRISE launched a call to action, inviting different cities to join the Centered Cities movement. This initiative primarily focuses on driving action in four key areas, including recruiting beyond the initial five cities and addressing domains such as education, culture, city planning, and youth participation. A summit is planned for 2024, and CitiesRISE is actively seeking pathway cities and innovators to participate in this initiative. Additionally, they launched a thought leadership channel on WMHD, aiming to highlight transformative initiatives from around the world.
Building on WMHD Momentum in Bangladesh
In Bangladesh, WMHD served as an opportunity to shed light on the neglected and stigmatised topic of mental health, despite its high prevalence. Various organisations including ADD International, the government, media, and civil society groups came together to commemorate the day, with activities such as mass gatherings and art exhibitions. This year's celebrations saw a significant increase in participation, especially among young people and individuals from marginalised communities, leading to a greater willingness to seek mental health services.
The government's more positive stance towards a mental health policy and the participation of persons with lived experience (PWLE) were pivotal aspects of the celebration. The plan is to build on this momentum by supporting the implementation of the National Mental Health Strategy 2030, working with the government to increase the budget for mental health, reform existing policies, strengthen service delivery, and integrate mental health into the primary healthcare system. This collective effort aims to enhance mental health at both the community and national levels.
New Mental Health Financing Report
United for Global Mental Health launched a new report on WMHD examining mental health financing with a key focus on rights and commitment implementation. The report reveals alarming discrepancies between recommended targets and actual mental health spending by governments. Out of 85 countries, only 9 were meeting or exceeding the targets, resulting in a significant annual financing gap of over $200 billion for mental health worldwide. Furthermore, there has been a concerning decline in funding, with a drop from $300 million to $200 million primarily due to resources redirected to the COVID-19 response.
Advocates can utilise this report to urge donors and governments to increase their budgets for mental health, underlining the crucial role of domestic spending. Increasing Health Development Assistance on mental health from below 0.5% to 1% of all HDA spending could result in a substantial annual increase of half a billion dollars for mental health in low- and middle-income countries. This report highlights the urgent need to address the mental health funding gap and the pivotal role that governments, funders, and donors play in achieving this goal.
Replay session 2 of 2:
The Global Forum for Adolescents
PMNCH marked WMHD at the Global Forum for Adolescents (GFA), where a remarkable 57% of attendees were under the age of 30. Throughout the GFA, mental health was frequently referenced as a central, cross-cutting theme in both the plenary sessions and core discussions. In partnership with United for Global Mental Health, a dedicated event was organised to highlight that mental health is a human right, address stigma and discrimination and promote the use of culturally appropriate strategies.
At the GFA, PMNCH also launched the Action Agenda for Adolescents, outlining seven key asks for stakeholders, with 18 governments already committed to them. Additionally, they introduced an Interim Summary of the Adolescent Wellbeing Investment Case, designed to promote effective and cost-efficient interventions for governments, with a full report expected in December. The momentum from these activities and the launch of these new resources can be leveraged to garner greater commitment to adolescent mental health in the future.
GFA content: https://www.1point8b.org/gfa-programme
GFA recordings: https://youtu.be/KIrGgZUlSzA
Advocating for the Rights of PWLE in Ghana
BasicNeeds Ghana (BNG) utilised WMHD to advocate for mental health and the rights of PWLE and caregivers. The organisation leveraged mass media, social networks, and local engagement with leaders to amplify the voices of PWLE. Print media featured BNG's work in advancing PWLE's human rights. Consultations, funded by the UnitedGMH, aimed to integrate mental health into universal health coverage, transitioning from local to national levels. WMHD serves as an ongoing platform for these critical mental health discussions.
BNG's approach also centred on raising awareness through service user narratives and targeted government support. The use of media, including community-based radio stations featuring PWLE, further expanded their reach. Persistent efforts at a local level have increased awareness and fostered a more positive attitude toward mental health. Traditional leaders have pledged to address assaults on PWLE. While full mental health investment remains in progress, BNG closely monitors budget developments and continues to engage stakeholders for a positive impact on mental health.
Key Takeaways from the 5th Global Mental Health Summit in Argentina
Among the key themes discussed at the Fifth Global Mental Health Summit were social determinants of mental health, cultural inclusion and diversity. Attendees also addressed health inequities, interdisciplinary approaches to mental health policy, evidence-based management of mental health services, and the integration of mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) into disaster and recovery planning. The Summit aimed to garner greater commitment to mental health in the Americas.
The key takeaways included the need for civil society actors and mental health organisations to hold governments and institutions accountable for upholding human rights in mental health care. Active participation of PWLE in decision-making processes and the design of mental health policies and programs was stressed as a guiding principle. Community-based mental health and peer support programs were advocated as essential components, reinforcing a sense of belonging and understanding within communities. An important element of this discourse was the importance of person-centred care models that respect individual autonomy. Lastly, the participants stressed the significance of international collaboration and networking, such as the Ministerial Summit, to share learnings and best practices, working together to promote human rights-based mental health and psychosocial support services in the Americas.
