WHO/Europe brings mental health out of the shadows with new Pan-European Coalition

“My world grew incredibly dark and small just a few years ago, when I stood alone on a bridge near my home. Fresh out of university, I was on track to become a leader of tomorrow, winning awards and representing my country. Yet inside I was so alone. I was alone in my thoughts, believing that the pain I felt was too much for anyone to bear, certain that no one could help me.”

This is how young mental health advocate Aimee-Louise Carton recalled her struggles while speaking at the launch of WHO/Europe’s new Pan-European Mental Health Coalition.

“But my story is not unique. An estimated 13% of young people across this Region are facing their own demons, many believing they too are alone,” she said. “Every person in this room is a mechanism for change and hope for young people like me all over the Region.”

Launched at a hybrid event in Brussels on 30 September in the presence of Her Majesty Queen Mathilde of the Belgians, the new Coalition is meant to address gaps in mental health services and keep mental health at the top of the policy agenda, for the millions of people who, like Aimee-Louise, have struggled and continue to struggle with mental ill-health. Currently, over 150 million people live with a mental health condition, and only a small minority of them receive the care they need.

“This Coalition is a personal aspiration of mine, a burning desire that was born over the many years of listening to the stories of people on the ground, working with those most marginalized in society all over the world,” said Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, at the launch event.

“I see it as a catalyst for hope, hope for change. The Coalition will be the vehicle to transform this hope for change into a practical reality, which will determine the future of our children and that of our children’s children.”

Gaps in mental health services existed before the pandemic broke out in 2020, but COVID-19 has made things considerably worse.

Lockdowns, isolation, joblessness, school closures, anxiety over infection – these factors have affected everyone in society. But estimates show that children and young people have suffered disproportionately.

“Our youth are our future and our hope. We have an obligation to protect and to support them now,” Her Majesty Queen Mathilde said.

“I am happy to see that this cooperative spirit and this urgency are at the heart of the Pan-European Mental Health Coalition, which is being launched today. [People] want neglect and stigmatization to end, they want access to counselling and treatment. They long to be recognized as active members of their communities. And they want dignity.”

The Coalition is a collaborative initiative that will see leaders and organizations come together from across countries and sectors. The role of partnerships, such as that between WHO and the European Union, will be crucial for the Coalition to succeed.

These partnerships are at the heart of WHO’s European Programme of Work 2020–2025 (EPW) – “United Action for Better Health in Europe”. The Coalition is one of its 4 flagship initiatives. At the 71st session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe, Member States adopted the European Framework for Action on Mental Health, which is the key policy document that will guide intensified efforts across the Region to promote mental well-being.

The EPW focuses on aspects of WHO’s work that constitute a departure from a mere continuation of business as usual. It leaves room for agile implementation, speeding up delivery of results and supporting investment in the future. The Coalition is how the Framework will be put into action.

“As in any crisis, it is the most vulnerable among us that have suffered the most. We – as policy-makers – have to learn from any crisis, and one of the clearest lessons for me is the need to do more to protect and improve our citizens’ mental health,” Ms Stella Kyriakides, European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, said at the Coalition’s launch. “We stand together: the Commission, the World Health Organization, Member States, stakeholders, professionals and those directly affected.”

The Coalition calls on governments at all levels to invest properly in mental health services, in the workforce and in modern therapeutic infrastructure.

“Our aim is to ensure that mental health stays visible and at the top of the policy agenda, also after COVID-19,” said Dr Natasha Azzopardi-Muscat, Director of Country Health Policies and Systems at WHO/Europe, at the launch event. “People like Aimee-Louise need to be heard, listened to and supported. Now that we have this Coalition, we are ready to work with all our partners to make this vision a reality.”

Making mental health visible means raising awareness of the issue and ensuring people know about mental ill-health and well-being. But it also means collecting and disseminating good data, finding those people suffering from mental ill-health and devising concrete actions to support them.

At its heart, the Coalition is a collaborative effort. WHO/Europe wants to hear from individuals and organizations wishing to join the Coalition and be part of the change.

Highlighting the urgency of the matter, the launch event also included an operational workshop with technical experts and minister representatives discussing next steps and how to move the Coalition forward. Participants discussed how to ensure vulnerable groups such as migrants and Roma people are not forgotten, the need to include a clear human rights perspective and how to mainstream mental health in emergencies.

“Each of you have a decision to make today. How far are you willing to go to support the next generation?” Aimee-Louise asked the ministers sitting in the room. “Your decisions in the coming years are what matters. You could be the reason a young person, standing alone on a bridge, survives and learns to love to live again.”