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Moving from Words to Action.

In June 2023, the United Nations General Assembly adopted by consensus a pivotal Resolution on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (A/77/300). This was the first time that the UN General Assembly recognized that mental health should be addressed as a stand-alone issue. This session will explain how the Resolution can move beyond words on paper to measurable targets and interventions.

Speakers will contextualize the Resolution within other efforts to advance global mental health within the UN system, addressing national needs, priorities, and concrete action plans for implementation to improve mental health and advance the Sustainable Development Agenda.

The session will convene UN and civil society stakeholders to ensure an inclusive and whole-of-society. Member State staff and others in the UN community, including from WHO, UNICEF, and the Permanent Missions of Mexico, Belgium, Romania, and Kuwait will exchange experiences and implementation strategies, complemented by varied civil society perspectives including national psychological societies from around the globe.

Event organized by the Permanent Mission of Mexico and the American Psychological Association (APA)

Concept note

Moving from Words to Action - Implementing the General Assembly Resolution (A/77/300) on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support.

Watch the World Mental Health Day 2024!

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Prioritizing mental health care.

Everyone encounters challenges in life and it's natural to feel anxious, isolated or overwhelmed at times. Prioritizing mental health is important during moments of difficulty or high stress. The World Health Organization (WHO) shares tips on Thursday’s World Mental Health Day.

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Annual Meeting of the Friends of the UN Inter-Agency Task Force on the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases and Mental Health.

Watch the Annual Meeting of the Friends of the UN Inter-Agency Task Force on the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases and Mental Health!

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Current status of mental health crisis among young people.

Smartphones and social media are largely responsible for the current mental health crisis among young people and that restricting their use below certain ages (14 for smartphones and 16 for social media) can have a positive effect on reversing or slowing the problem.

Read the full research paper!

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In silico transcriptome screens identify epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors as therapeutics for noise-induced hearing loss.

Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is a common sensorineural hearing impairment that lacks U.S. Food and Drug Administration–approved drugs. To fill the gap in effective screening models, we used an in silico transcriptome-based drug screening approach, identifying 22 biological pathways and 64 potential small molecule treatments for NIHL. Two of these, afatinib and zorifertinib [epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors], showed efficacy in zebrafish and mouse models. Further tests with EGFR knockout mice and EGF-morpholino zebrafish confirmed their protective role against NIHL. Molecular studies in mice highlighted EGFR’s crucial involvement in NIHL and the protective effect of zorifertinib. When given orally, zorifertinib was found in the perilymph with favorable pharmacokinetics. In addition, zorifertinib combined with AZD5438 (a cyclin-dependent kinase 2 inhibitor) synergistically prevented NIHL in zebrafish. Our results underscore the potential for in silico transcriptome-based drug screening in diseases lacking efficient models and suggest EGFR inhibitors as potential treatments for NIHL, meriting clinical trials.

Read the full research paper!

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Mental Health of Children and Young People: How Can We Do Better?

While the UN has positively tackled the mental health agenda during the last years, more needs to be done, especially in the lead-up to the fourth UN High-Level Meeting on Noncommunicable Diseases.

Objectives:  

Raise awareness through sharing of scientific and sociological evidence on the impact of various risk factors on mental health in early development and adolescence.

Demonstrate best practices on implementing evidence-based policies and strengthening services and resources that can improve mental health outcomes for children and young people in different national contexts.

Discuss how everyone can engage in addressing mental health of children and young people – from individual to national and global levels, in the efforts of prevention, early detection, and care, while raising awareness and reducing stigma.

Mental health determines emotional, intellectual, physical and social well-being. It shapes how we think, feel and act and confers our ability to handle stress, build and manage relationships, and make choices that affect not only our own life courses, but also those of the people around us. Mental health is important at every stage of life, especially for children and young people.

The consequences of failing to address child and young people mental health conditions extend to adulthood. 50% of mental health conditions develop before the age of 14 and have the potential of impairing both physical and mental health and limiting opportunities to lead fulfilling lives.

Watch the Mental Health of Children and Young People: How Can We Do Better?

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1 in 7 young people live with a mental health condition.

Mental health conditions are having a devastating impact on young people across the world. More and more young people are sharing their experiences and speaking out against stigma. With greater investment, we can break the silence around #MentalHealth and ensure young people…

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4 Ways the planetary crisis impacts our mental health.

Climate change, noise, and air and chemical pollution impact our mental well-being. However, a healthy environment can uplift us. This #WorldMentalHealthDay, explore these four environmental issues and how nature and #ClimateAction offer solutions.

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75th Anniversary of the foundation of the WFMH.

On October 10th, we will be celebrating World Mental Health Day 2023 with the theme ‘Mental Health is a Universal Human Right’ chosen by a global vote open to the public, including World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) members, stakeholders, and supporters.

This year’s World Mental Health Day celebration coincides with the 75th Anniversary of the foundation of the WFMH in 1948. At its foundation a range of recommendations were made, including that specialised agencies of the United Nations (UN) should do everything possible to co-ordinate their activities in the interest of developing adequate mental health programmes within each member nation; and that the World Health Organization (WHO) give adequate attention to mental health principles in their health programmes, drawing on international professional organisations for co-operation.       

1948 was an important year for human rights because the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was adopted on 10 December 1948 by the UN General Assembly with Article 1 thereof stating: ‘All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.’   

Although the UDHR did not specifically mention mental health, and neither was it a treaty, by 1966, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) was adopted, Article 12 whereof stated: ‘The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health.’

The United Nations Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) was adopted in 2007 with the vision ‘to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity’ and included people with long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments.

Despite all efforts by the UN, WHO, WFMH, governments, institutions and other agencies, mental health discrimination, harmful stereotypes and stigma in the community, family, schools and the workplace still persist. The same prevents healthy relationships, social interactions and inclusive environments needed for the well-being of all members of society and presents barriers to the enjoyment of full well-being for all, especially those with mental health challenges.

Previous reports by the UN Human Rights office highlight that people with mental health conditions and those with psychosocial disabilities experience disproportionately higher rates of poor physical health and reduced life expectancy. Stigma is also a significant determinant of quality care and access to the full range of services required.

Investment and transformation in mental health is needed to help stop the widespread human rights violations that people with mental health conditions continue to experience worldwide.

This year’s theme enables us to re-double our efforts to ensure that everybody should receive quality mental health care and that the human rights and well-being of people with mental illness are respected in all parts of the world so that every person with a mental health difficulty has:

The right to be protected from known harms to mental health; a universal right which applies to the entire population, but especially the vulnerable including children, minorities and the displaced peoples.

The right to access quality and affordable care when a person is struggling with their mental health.

The right to freedom and dignity, including the right of choice.

The 2023 World Mental Health Day theme ‘Mental Health is a Universal Human Right’ provides us with an opportunity to re-kindle our efforts to make the world a better place.

We invite you to join this year’s World Mental Health Day campaign.

Professor Gabriel Ivbijaro MBE JP WFMH Secretary-General

REFERENCES

International Congress on Mental Health London 1948: printed material. International Congress on Mental Health: printed material | Wellcome Collection

Brody EB. The search for mental health. A history and memoir of WFMH 1948-1997. Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins; 1998.

United Nations General Assembly. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). New York: United Nations General Assembly, 1948.  

UN General Assembly, International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 16 December 1966, United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 993, p. 3. available [accessed 21 May 2023]

UN General Assembly, Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities : resolution / adopted by the General Assembly, 24 January 2007, A/RES/61/106 available [accessed 22 May 2023]

World Health Organization, World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health For All World Health Organization, 2022 

Campaign Hashtags and Acronyms: #MHUHR, #MHUniversalHR, #UHR4MH

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Participe now!; Engage with the campaign.

The WFMH Global Campaign 2023 aims to promote grassroots-level participation. We endeavour to fulfil this objective through our initiatives, which aim to help individuals across the world engage with the official theme of the campaign, ‘Mental Health is a Universal Human Right’. Embrace the power of expression through our ‘Right to Express’ and ‘Express through Art’ initiatives, which attempt to illuminate a plethora of narratives and experiences.

Participate now and become a part of this global campaign!

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Mark the 75 years of the WFMH.

As we mark the 75 years of WFMH mental health advocacy, we at the World Federation for Mental Health bring to you one of our largest endeavours – WFMH Global Campaign 2023 recognizing WFMH 75th Anniversary and World Mental Health Day 2023. 

The Global Campaign and its initiatives would be based on this year’s official theme of World Mental Health Day – ‘Mental Health is a Universal Human Right’. Mental health as a universal right to all citizens of the world is consistent with the 1948 founding principles of WFMH. The global campaign aims to place mental health in a human rights framework to re-cast the aspiration for sound mental health as a fundamental human right.

The global campaign aims to engage individuals, communities, institutions, and stakeholders worldwide, with the objective of empowering grassroot advocacy for the cause of mental health and its intersection with human rights. While featuring theme-based global events and embracing diverse creative expressions through digital means, the campaign intends to promote awareness and put-forth the significance of mental health. 

Join us in this journey as we unite to raise awareness about the importance of mental health as an indispensable universal human right, with the vision of fostering a world that values and nurtures the well-being of all. 

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Mental Health Workforce In The Pacific Region: Horizons And Hurdles.

Oceania Mental Health Advisory Committee is organising a webinar on 4th October focused on ‘Mental Health Workforce in the Pacific Region: Horizons and Hurdles’ in collaboration with the World Federation for Mental Health to recognise World Mental Health Day 2023.

The event will include several speakers, including Sir Colin Tukuitonga (New Zealand), Sir Colin Tukuitonga (New Zealand), Dr. Kuinileti Changwai (Samoa) etc and will be moderated by Professor Michele Rumsey AM.

Register here

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Spreading awareness about the importance of mental health as a universal human right.

Convocare in collaboration with Youth for Mental Health and the World Federation for Mental Health, will be organising the biggest campus event for WFMH Global Campaign 2023, Meraki 23. The event will be held on 13th October at Vivekananda College. It will focus on recognising World Mental Health Day 2023 and and spreading awareness about the importance of mental health as a universal human right.

WHERE: India

WHEN:13th October 2023.

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Building healthy Minds, a right for all.

Friends Square presents MindFit, a campaign that shifts the spotlight to nurturing our mental fitness with the vision of making mental health a fundamental right, in collaboration with Youth for Mental Health.

The two-week campaign will consist of interactive workshops, reflective sessions, experiential activities, and warm-up and cool-down sessions to empower everyone to flex their mental muscles in the mental gym. The campaign advocates for allocating time to focus on our minds.

WHERE; India.

WHEN: 2023

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Webinar organized by the Society of preventive Psychiatry for WMHD 2023.

The Society of Preventive Psychiatry is organising electronic event in collaboration with the European Association of Professors Emeriti and Epioni, to celebrate World Mental Health Day 2023 with the following participants: George Christodoulou, Spyros Zorbas, Sir Leslie Ebdon, Nasser Loza, Danuta Wasserman, Norman Sartorius , Afzal Javed, Vasilis Bozikas, Stecy Igemonos, Ledia Lazeri, Kelly Panagiotopoulouand Nikos Christodoulou.

The Deputy Minister of Health on matters of Mental Health – Dr Dimitrios Vartzopoulos will offer a Salutation.

WHERE: Greece.

WHEN: 6th October 2023

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Vitality London 10.000.

The London Marathon Events Limited is organising two campaigns, the #DoItForYou campaign and the Run to Overcome wave, in association with Mental Health Mates in London on 24th September.

#DoItForYou aims to encourage people to get active to support their mental health and wellbeing. The well-established mental health benefits of activity include improving self-esteem, stimulating chemical changes in the brain to boost mood, improving sleep, and managing stress and anxiety.

The Run to Overcome wave will be the final wave to set off in the mass participation event, with no pressure on participants to achieve a fast time. It will focus on running for your head and your heart and having fun in the process.

WHERE: London.

WHEN: 24th September 2023.

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Official music of the WFMH Global Campaign 2023.

In recognition of World Mental Health Day 2023, the World Federation for Mental Health is delighted to feature a composition by Chad Lawson from Decca Records US, a part of Universal Music Group – Stay as the official music of the WFMH Global Campaign 2023.

“Stay is about finding those times that are fleeting but buffer the soul and you think: I don’t want this moment to end. That place of stillness where you can heal your wounds and rejuvenate and then go back into the real world.”

Click here to listen to ‘Stay’ - DECCA Records,