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BRICS Nations Unite Against Mental Health Stigma
13 Nov
Summary
- BRICS countries urged to boost cooperation on mental health.
- Youth participation and school interventions are key priorities.
- Brazil's model for training teachers on mental distress highlighted.
The 11th Together Against Stigma (TAS) conference, co-organized by The George Institute for Global Health, AIIMS Delhi, and UNICEF, has concluded its sessions, calling for strengthened collaboration among BRICS nations.
The conference, hosted in New Delhi from November 12-14, 2026, emphasized the critical need to improve mental healthcare access for children, adolescents, and young individuals.
Key priorities identified by representatives from India, Brazil, South Africa, Kazakhstan, and Malaysia include fostering youth engagement, implementing school-based support, expanding community mental healthcare, and enacting evidence-based policy reforms.
Brazil's approach, emphasizing "Nothing About Us Without Us," was highlighted, advocating for meaningful youth involvement in policy development. The training of teachers to identify psychological distress and connect students with services served as a notable model.
India's National Digital Academy was also recognized for its role in professionalizing mental healthcare, having trained nearly 50,000 individuals. Findings from studies like ARTEMIS and SATHI demonstrated the effectiveness of locally adapted anti-stigma campaigns in improving attitudes and reducing mental health challenges.
