'Mental health is a universal human right'

Marking 75 years of mental health advocacy, the World Federation for Mental Health is running a Global Campaign alongside World Mental Health Day 2023 on 10 Ocrober, with an official theme of 'Mental Health is a Universal Human Right'.

The WFMH website says: '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.'

Here on The Psychologist and Research Digest, we thought we would pull together some articles and interviews from the archive which have tackled mental health in people and groups who may not have traditionally been considered at the front of the queue when it comes to mental health. We also asked on Twitter/X: thanks for all your suggestions.

So, explore what we have to offer around mental health in:

• prisoners

• refugees and asylum seekers

• mothers (including around the perinatal period)

• fathers

• competitive sportspeople

•  the police and other emergency service personnel, sometimes considered 'tough enough'

•  the military, including drone operators

• care leavers

•  people who have experienced childhood trauma

•  those living in poverty

• caregivers

• doctors, surgeons, other health professionals

•  those who went to boarding school

• service veterans

• racialised groups

• middle managers and those experiencing 'burnout'

What does 'Mental health as a universal right' mean to you? Tweet us @psychmag.