Strengthening mental health and psychosocial support approaches, responses and links to
protection and solutions
(a)
Encourages States and UNHCR to continue integrating MHPSS into protection,
solutions, emergency preparedness and response strategies, without discrimination of any kind, in
ways that do no harm and in line with humanitarian principles, including from the outset of a
displacement situation, as well as in protracted situations, with a view to promoting durable
solutions;
(b)
Encourages UNHCR, States and partners to support activities for prevention of
mental health conditions, including mitigating risks of re-traumatization and acute stress, and for
strengthening community resilience and including MHPSS support in disaster preparedness;
(c)
Underlines the importance of raising awareness about mental health and psychosocial
well-being, early identification of MHPSS needs, reducing stigma and discrimination associated
with MHPSS and facilitating access for all persons of concern to MHPSS wherever it is needed and
in their native languages whenever possible, based on the principle of informed consent, taking into
account the local context, as well as language, cultural, social and religious diversity;
(d)
Encourages States, UNHCR and all partners to provide accessible MHPSS services
and to communicate information about MHPSS and related procedures, decisions, and policies
appropriately so that it is accessible and understandable for persons of concern to UNHCR, including
persons of concern with disabilities;
(e)
Encourages UNHCR, States and other partners to apply a multi-sectoral approach in
accordance with human rights, through which the mental health and psychosocial well-being of
persons of concern is supported across different sectors of activity and assistance for persons of
concern to UNHCR, including protection, assistance, health and education;
(f)
Encourages UNHCR, States and other partners to provide accessible and continued
MHPSS care, treatment and support, whenever possible in the native language of the persons of
concern, to address inter alia, psychological trauma and serious protection risks, including for
survivors and victims of sexual and gender-based violence; and clinical care to address severe or
complex mental health conditions;
(g)
Encourages UNHCR to promote the mental health and well-being of its personnel,
other humanitarian personnel and volunteers, and to ensure the provision of MHPSS, where needed,
to them, taking into consideration their role in providing effective and sustainable assistance to
persons of concern to UNHCR and their host communities;
Support to the enhancement of mental health and psychosocial support capacity
(h)
Welcomes and encourages continued provision of support, including capacity
development and financial assistance for MHPSS for persons of concern to UNHCR, as well as host
communities, including its provision in low- and middle-income countries, many of which host large
numbers of refugees and internally displaced persons;
(i)
Encourages States to work towards further inclusion in national services and existing
systems of care for MHPSS of persons of concern to UNHCR; and calls upon UNHCR and partners
to effectively provide and facilitate further support for States in different situations, enabling them
to build and expand the capacity of national health systems to provide MHPSS to persons of concern
to UNHCR and to the communities hosting them, as well as support to wider protection, durable
solutions and emergency responses, consistent with the principles of burden- and responsibilitysharing, taking into account the importance of national ownership and leadership;
(j)
Invites all States, in line with their economic capacity, to invest resources and
expertise to strengthen MHPSS, including the capacity of UNHCR, host states and relevant partners,
encompassing, among other aspects, MHPSS provision and supervision by trained professionals,
where possible, as well as capacity development and training opportunities for persons of concern
to UNHCR and host communities, in line with paragraph 73 of the Global Compact on Refugees;
Participation and contributions by persons of concern
(k)
Encourages States and UNHCR to facilitate the active participation and contributions
by persons of concern to UNHCR in matters affecting them in the field of MHPSS, whenever
possible, including by drawing on and further developing the capacity of individuals, families,
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