World Mental Health Day: Oct 10, 2023

The World Health Organisation emphasises the fundamental importance of access to a high standard of mental health support:

“Mental health is a basic human right for all people. Everyone, whoever and wherever they are, has a right to the highest attainable standard of mental health. This includes the right to be protected from mental health risks, the right to available, accessible, acceptable, and good quality care, and the right to liberty, independence and inclusion in the community.” (1)

EFPA President Prof. Dr Christoph Steinebach notes

"Human rights made concrete in the Sustainable Development Goals are an important compass for evidence-based psychology in prevention, counselling, psychotherapy, and rehabilitation.”

In observing the occasion EFPA will emphasise 7 points relating to mental health and its social determinants, relating to: commitment to mental health in all policies; mental health as a core part of societal crises responses; community-oriented services; mental wellbeing in the workplace; the impact of climate change on mental health especially for the young; training standards and regulation; and equality of access including the digitalisation (2).

1 in 6 people in Europe are affected by mental health-related challenges (3) and it is a priority to keep this topic in central focus and to take an integrative as well as comprehensive approach to ensure that the many stakeholders in this space, including those with direct experience, are given the platform they deserve.

EFPA will continue to contribute to the European Commission’s New Comprehensive Approach to Mental Health initiative (4) and the Mental Health in All Policies stakeholder network (5) in order to support progress, including advocating for a European Year of Mental Health.

During the week of World Mental Health Day 2023, EFPA representatives will be participating in a number of events including the Launch of the Joint WHO/OHCHR guidance and practice on mental health, human rights and legislation (6); Synergies between EU-funded projects on mental health managed by HaDEA (7); and the European Commission’s World Mental Health Day conference (8).

EFPA will be supporting—and EFPA President Prof. Dr Christoph Steinebach will be participating in–a panel discussion hosted by the European Federation of Psychology Students’ Associations (EFPSA): ‘Mental Health is the Universal Human Right’ (9).

Prof. Dr Steinebach notes will emphasise

"Psychology promotes the life of people in freedom, self-determination and social responsibility. As psychologists offer their professional support in very different fields of practice, they reach people in very different circumstances. Psychologists thus ensure that mental health comes into its own in all conditions of life.”

Beyond World Mental Health Day EFPA will continue to participate in these and other initiatives to support the development of policy that creates meaningful action throughout the European Union and the continent of Europe as a whole. 

Updates during the week, and ongoing mental health advocacy work, will be shared via EFPA’s newsroom (10) and posted on social media.