The World Health Organization is leading the effort for achieving the objectives of the Mental Health Action Plan 2013-2020, adopted by the World Health Assembly in May 2013 and extended to 2030 at the 72nd World health Assembly in 2019. The WHO Mental Health Forum (WHO MH Forum, previously “mhGAP Forum”) is a partnership event organized by WHO every year in Geneva, coinciding with World Mental Health Day (10 October). The WHO MH forum offers a platform by which to exchange information on the implementation of the Mental Health Action Plan and to strengthen collaboration among partners.
The eleventh meeting of the WHO MH Forum took place at the World Health Organization, Geneva on 14 and 15 October 2019. The primary focus of the 2019 WHO MH Forum was on “Enhancing Country Action on Mental Health”. The second focus centred on the theme of the 2019 World Mental Health Day: “Suicide Prevention”.
The forum was attended by approximately 297 participants. These included 72 country representatives from 49 Member States, 14 participants from 11 WHO Collaborating Centres, 35 representatives from all regions of WHO, 11 participants from other UN agencies, and 159 participants representing 115 organisations (including academic institutions, NGOs, mental health service user groups). The programme and list of participants are attached as Annex A.