Stigma & Discrimination
The Stigma and Discrimination Working Group has been established to foster knowledge sharing among members about proven strategies to combat mental health-related stigma and discrimination. The primary objective of this initiative is to empower members to challenge these issues within their respective communities and contribute to worldwide efforts, particularly in low-resource settings.
Geography of Stigma •
Geography of Stigma •
Share your story. Empower others. Inspire action
Sharing your stories of the “toxic” impacts of mental health stigma and the tools used to challenge it in your community will help others take action around the world.
If you are someone who has lived experience of mental health stigma and/or an organisation that has been challenging it – we want to hear from you. Your story will help bring the devastating impacts of mental health stigma to life, and sharing insights from activity or research that has helped to challenge it in your content and culture will help others learn from you.
This new interactive global map called ‘The Geography of Stigma’ will map these experiences to help raise the profile of stigma, the need to address it and share effective culturally-specific approaches.
We’re looking for blogs, videos, songs, poems, photography or art (with a narrative), and links to existing material, research or reports, as not all material has to be new.
Seeing how extensive this problem is, in your own context, regionally or at global levels will also help to advocate for stigma to become more of a policy and funding priority.
Let’s work together to end mental health stigma.
Working Group Co-Chairs
Sue Baker
Changing Minds Globally, UK
Judy Kariuki
GMHAN, Kenya
Taha Sabri
Taskeen Health Initiative, Pakistan
Our Focus
The group is working towards:
Sharing evidence-based strategies, toolkits, tools, materials, and research on anti-stigma programs across global regions.
Supporting members to increase their knowledge and build capacity to develop, implement and evaluate anti-stigma programs.
Encouraging members to exchange innovative approaches, practices, and experiences with peers from similar cultural/geographic contexts.
Collectively advocate for increased attention to, and investment in, anti-stigma programs at key global events/moments.
Our Work
Read the concept note for our Working Group: Breaking Barriers: Building a Community of Support to Combat Mental Health Stigma and Discrimination
A group of authors, and our partners, from the The Lancet Commission on Ending Stigma and Discrimination in Mental Health presented a new paper in 2024 providing greater analysis on the survey of people with lived experience (PWLE) from around the world and lessons learned. The paper explains how individuals were surveyed in 6 languages across over 30 countries. It offers valuable insights into the experiences and reflections of stigma and discrimination related to mental health. Read more here.
Our Working Group led a strategic workshop at the 6th Global Mental Health Ministerial Summit in Doha, Qatar, in 2025. Read our report: Empowering Communities, Strengthening Coalitions, and Tackling Stigma
Enabling international learning
Back in 2022, a Pinterest grant made it possible for the UK’s Mental Health Foundation to commission a unique project: a ‘positive mental health image library’. The library launched in 2024 with a crowdsourced free-to-use database, designed to show realistic images of the things people do to look after their mental health.
The library was discussed at GMHAN’s Stigma & Discrimination Working Group, with members reflecting on how such initiatives can help address the persistent stigma of living with a mental health condition. This discussion, in turn, inspired other organisations to follow suit.
With GMHAN’s support and advice, the South African Federation for Mental Health launched its ‘Positive Mental Health Photo Library’ in 2025, featuring images more culturally relevant to South Africa.
Already, media outlets in South Africa are using the library and have added images from it to their editorial photo libraries.
Registration for this Working Group is open!
How to join us:
Sign up for the Global Mental Health Action Network (Action Network) and select your preferred Working Groups. Register here.
Once you’ve signed up, you’ll receive an email inviting you to create your account for our online Community platform, Circle. Once complete, you will have access to the Working Group spaces that you selected in your registration form.
Circle supports us to communicate, collaborate and take action together as a global mental health advocacy community. We look forward to seeing you on the platform!
If you are already a member of the Action Network and would like to sign up for the Working Group, please email admin@gmhan.org