“Mental Health is not just a first world problem: it is time to act for girls and women everywhere”

After a two year break we are delighted to announce the 10th Giving Women Conference.

The Giving Women conference has become an important platform for convening UN organisations, Civil Society, NGOs, business, academia, and private individuals to INFORM, REFLECT and ACT on what we need to do to improve the lives of girls and women globally.

This year the focus of the Giving Women conference is mental health. Over the last two years of the Pandemic everyone has recognized how fragile our mental health is. Triggers such as loneliness, isolation, economic insecurity, domestic violence have seen the rise of people suffering with mental health issues globally. For girls and women in vulnerable communities, in conflict situations, in refugee camps, in forced migration, these are triggers they face daily with no recourse to support. In addition they have to face stigmatisation and isolation.

According to the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) 85% of individuals living with mental health conditions in the developing world do not receive care due to due to lack of resources. In Africa, 66 million women are living with depression, and 85% have no access to treatment.

The World Health Organisation cites that: “Most scientific studies show a close correlation between indicators of poverty and the risk of mental disorders, the most consistent association being with low levels of education — a common factor in low-income societies. Other factors such as the experience of insecurity and hopelessness, rapid social change and the risks of violence and physical ill-health also contribute to the greater vulnerability of the poor to common mental illnesses.”

Join us to hear from researchers, practitioners, project leaders and people with lived experience to hear about the situation on the ground and about the successful programmes that are making the difference.  It is the moment to change the status quo.

There is no health without mental health!