World Mental Health Day is observed on 10 October, calling for stronger action to protect and expand mental health support in times of crisis.
This year’s theme, “Access to Services: Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies,” highlights the urgent need to ensure mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) reaches people affected by conflict, disaster, and displacement. In 2025, this call is more pressing than ever as humanitarian needs continue to rise worldwide.
In emergencies, one in three people experience a mental health condition, and one in twenty face severe conditions. Displacement and disrupted health systems make access to care even harder, particularly for migrants, who often face legal and social barriers even before crises.
MHPSS is a lifesaving intervention. It prevents long-term harm, reduces suicide risks, and enables people to cope and recover under extreme stress. Beyond survival, MHPSS is essential for resilience, protection, and rebuilding communities.
Despite its importance, global MHPSS programmes face significant funding cuts, threatening access for more than 500,000 people in 2025 alone. With only 2 per cent of national health budgets worldwide allocated to mental health, this gap risks undoing decades of progress.
On this World Mental Health Day, IOM calls for sustained investment, collaboration, and solidarity. Together, we must ensure that all people affected by crises have access to the care they need.
Language Clinic
World Mental Health Day is observed on 10 October, calling for stronger action to protect and expand mental health support in times of crisis.
This year’s theme, “Access to Services: Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies,” highlights the urgent need to ensure mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) reaches people affected by conflict, disaster, and displacement. In 2025, this call is more pressing than ever as humanitarian needs continue to rise worldwide.
In emergencies, one in three people experience a mental health condition, and one in twenty face severe conditions. Displacement and disrupted health systems make access to care even harder, particularly for migrants, who often face legal and social barriers even before crises.
MHPSS is a lifesaving intervention. It prevents long-term harm, reduces suicide risks, and enables people to cope and recover under extreme stress. Beyond survival, MHPSS is essential for resilience, protection, and rebuilding communities.
Despite its importance, global MHPSS programmes face significant funding cuts, threatening access for more than 500,000 people in 2025 alone. With only 2 per cent of national health budgets worldwide allocated to mental health, this gap risks undoing decades of progress.
On this World Mental Health Day, IOM calls for sustained investment, collaboration, and solidarity. Together, we must ensure that all people affected by crises have access to the care they need.
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