As millions around the world face the impacts of wars, disasters and forced displacement, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is calling for urgent action to ensure that mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) remains available and accessible in crises.
This year's World Mental Health Day theme, Access to Services - Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies, highlights the essential role of MHPSS in humanitarian response. Studies show that one in three people affected by crises develop mental health conditions, while one in twenty experience severe disorders. Yet funding cuts are placing lifesaving services at risk when needs are highest.
"Providing mental health support is a matter of survival," said IOM Director General Amy Pope. "When people lose everything in a disaster or conflict, their dignity and resilience depend on access to care that allows them to cope, heal, and move forward. Food, water, and shelter save lives, but without mental health support, many will be unable to use these resources to recover. We must not allow mental health services to disappear when they are most urgently required."
In times of crisis, people often experience severe distress that undermines the cognitive functions essential for survival. Timely mental health support can save lives. Without it, the risks increase: suicide, self-harm, and harmful coping mechanisms become more likely. Children, survivors of violence, and those with pre-existing conditions are particularly vulnerable. Integrating mental health services into humanitarian response strengthens recovery, protects dignity, and supports community resilience.
In many countries, mental health care was already limited before crises. Migrants and displaced people often face additional barriers, including legal restrictions, discrimination, and lack of information or language support. Emergencies can then disrupt what little care exists, leaving people without the assistance they need. Ensuring continuity of services is essential.
Despite clear evidence of impact, mental health care accounts for only 2 per cent of national healthcare budgets worldwide. In 2025, IOM programmes in 20 humanitarian operations including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Chad, Mozambique, Myanmar, Niger and Ukraine have already been disrupted by reduced resources. An estimated half a million people risk losing essential support this year.
The scale of these cuts is troubling given the reach of IOM's MHPSS operations. In 2024, IOM provided services to 1.8 million migrants across 83 countries, including 1.5 million in emergencies. These interventions ranged from psychological first aid and referrals for people displaced by cyclones in Mozambique and floods in Brazil, to mobile teams supporting conflict-affected communities in Ukraine. Local practitioners in Niger were trained to support survivors of violence, while in Myanmar, teams provided care for people affected by the earthquake.
Such efforts show that MHPSS is not only a humanitarian necessity during crises but also a cornerstone of recovery. By helping people manage distress and rebuild coping strategies, mental health support enables them to return to school, pursue livelihoods and participate in their communities.
On this World Mental Health Day, IOM calls on governments, donors and humanitarian partners to protect and expand access to MHPSS. Without adequate investment, other humanitarian assistance in areas such as health, protection, education, nutrition and livelihoods will falter. With sufficient resources and commitment, mental health care can reach people in the most difficult circumstances.
