World Mental Health Day: Prioritizing mental health in gender equality and health programming 

On October 10, we observe World Mental Health Day — an important opportunity to raise awareness and galvanize global support for mental health. It also offers a timely opportunity to reflect on how gender equality and health programs can better address mental health needs, and ensure that mental health care is not just an afterthought, but a priority in both development and emergency settings around the world.

Understanding mental health

Mental health encompasses emotional, psychological and social well-being. It impacts how we think, feel, act and it plays an important role in how we deal with stress, make decisions and interact with others. Good mental health is an essential part of overall well-being throughout the lifespan, supporting daily activities and fulfilling relationships, enabling individuals to adapt to change and cope with adversity. Conversely, poor mental health can exacerbate vulnerabilities to physical health challenges and weakens immune function. It can also perpetuate systemic inequities, such as barriers to success in work or education, social marginalization and economic disadvantages.

Unfortunately, mental illness is often stigmatized. Negative attitudes, beliefs and behaviors towards those experiencing mental illness and other mental health challenges can lead to discrimination in education, employment or health care, contributing to feelings of marginalization, guilt, and shame. It creates barriers to receive help, which can further intensify disruptions in well-being. Addressing mental health stigma is essential for fostering inclusive communities and improving health outcomes. 

Integrating mental health into sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR)  

Mental health is intrinsically linked to health outcomes and well-being, and should be integrated into health programming to ensure a holistic and effective approach. This is particularly true in regards to SRHR. For instance, mental health challenges such as depression and anxiety during pregnancy and the postpartum period adversely affect both mothers and infants, leading to poor prenatal care, compromised birth outcomes such as preterm birth, and childhood developmental issues. HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) exert a dual burden on individuals with higher risks of depression and anxiety due to the chronic nature of the illness and associated stigma, which negatively impacts adherence to treatment. Post traumatic stress disorders (PTSD) manifested in survivors of sexual violence persists long after physical injuries heal. Adolescents, too, are particularly vulnerable to mental health issues related to SRHR, such as anxiety and depression stemming from unintended pregnancies, STIs and sexual violence.

Gender-based differences create additional layers of complexity in addressing mental health needs, particularly for marginalized women, girls and gender-diverse communities. One in three women worldwide has experienced physical or sexual violence. Harmful socio-cultural norms, dismissing women’s health needs, delayed antenatal care/postnatal care support, shame and stigma emerging from mental health affect communities’ capacity levels and deter access to health services. 

There are many ways organizations can integrate mental health into programs, particularly SRHR programs. For example, Plan International adopts a gender responsive and inclusive approach to tackling mental health issues, ranging from basic services to specialized care.

Level 1: Respectful Basic Services and Security is foundational, ensuring that basic services like food, shelter, water and health care are safely delivered, participatory and culturally appropriate. Plan International’s programming involves community members in planning distributions, providing culturally relevant and inclusive aid, training of staff on safeguarding and “Do No Harm” policies, ensuring access to child/adolescent friendly information and advocating for safe, dignified services that protect rights and access for all, especially girls. 

Level 2: Community and Family-Strengthening Supports, often led by the communities themselves and mobilize existing supporters like parents, teachers and health workers to ensure inclusivity and best interests of all. Examples include providing child/adolescent friendly information on coping with stress, community based psychosocial support, safe spaces for children, comprehensive sexuality education and peer-to-peer education on SRHR.

Level 3: Focused, Non-Specialized Support includes targeted care for children and individuals needing focused attention. Examples include structured activities like life skills programs for adolescents and Psychosocial First Aid (PFA) for individuals ensuring their safety, dignity and rights. Plan International has adopted evidence-based Interpersonal therapy (IPT) conducted by community based non-clinical facilitators.

Level 4: Specialized Services include professional care for individuals with complex mental health disorders delivered by mental health professionals. Examples include collaboration with mental health care services in countries and ministries of health, including efforts around health system strengthening, training of health-care workers to offer age and gender responsive, inclusive services. 

Mental health in emergency settings

Mental health is fundamental to overall health well-being. It needs to be recognized and addressed with the same urgency and care as physical health conditions in all contexts, both in development and emergency settings.

Emergencies disrupt safety, intensify vulnerabilities, and strain coping mechanisms. In emergency situations, communities can struggle to meet basic needs, protect the vulnerable and maintain social cohesion, leading to new health risks and heightened psychological distress. Prioritizing mental health, well-being and protection needs of individuals, families and communities before, during and after emergencies is essential to long-term recovery and resilience. 

Here are three examples of Canadian Red Cross initiatives demonstrating key focus areas that are critical to addressing mental health during emergencies: 

Direct support: The Canadian Red Cross is providing funding to the Lviv Clinical Hospital of Emergency and Intensive Care to support a program ensuring survivors of hostilities in Ukraine  have access to therapy, as well as mental health and psychosocial support. A diverse team of Ukrainian psychotherapists offer support through a variety of therapeutic modalities, based on the unique needs of each person. This program is carefully implemented and includes regular consultation with our protection, gender and inclusion team to help promote equal access, safety and availability to individuals of all genders and backgrounds.  

Capacity strengthening: The Canadian Red Cross delivers Psychological First Aid courses to personnel, individuals and community partners to enhance local capacity by educating non-mental health professionals on how to help minimize psychological distress experienced by individuals and families impacted by disaster or crisis. 

Technical guidance: The Canadian Red Cross co-designs response protocols and establishes joint operational teams with Indigenous leadership, federal, provincial and municipal agencies, and community-based organizations. Such planning ensures a unified approach to mental health and psychosocial support that integrates gender equality and social inclusion considerations and facilitates a swift and coordinated response to emerging crises. 

As we continue to reflect on the importance of World Mental Health Day, the urgency of integrating mental health and gender-transformative approach in  programs in all contexts, both development and humanitarian settings, becomes ever more clear. By integrating mental health care at the heart of programs, we can foster a supportive environment where individuals and communities can rebuild their lives with dignity, support and respect. Mental health care must be acceptable, equitable, appropriate and effective, and responsive to the specific needs of individuals — ensuring that no one is left behind. 

Learn more about Plan International and the Red Cross mental health work by emailing Aaliya or Laurie.

Authors: Aaliya Bibi, Senior Health Advisor, International Programs at Plan International Canada; Laurie Bissonnette, Manager, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support at the Canadian Red Cross