In February 2025, mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) leaders from humanitarian emergencies around the world came together in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for a global meeting aimed at improving coordination and sharing experiences from the field.
The event, hosted by WHO Ethiopia and organized by the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) MHPSS Reference Group, welcomed 40 co-chairs of MHPSS Technical Working Groups (TWGs) from 29 countries. These included representatives from Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lebanon, Mali, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, and the occupied Palestinian territories.
The four-day strategic forum provided a space for exchanging practical strategies, discussing shared challenges, and exploring ways to strengthen MHPSS services in crisis settings. Participants emphasized the importance of country-led leadership, peer learning, and close collaboration among agencies.
The IASC MHPSS Reference Group, which co-organized the event, is the highest-level humanitarian coordination body for mental health and psychosocial support. Co-chaired by WHO and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the group includes 65 member organizations, such as NGOs, UN bodies, academic institutions, and international agencies.
This was the second global meeting of its kind, following the first held in Ukraine in 2019. The wide range of geographic and organizational representation helped spark dynamic discussions. Attendees praised the interactive format, which blended theory, real-life case studies, and one-on-one consultation clinics with technical experts.
From February 3–6, the event featured deep dives into multisectoral collaboration, tools and methods, country case studies, and technical insights. Sessions focused on key areas like MHPSS coordination, mapping, monitoring, evaluation, assessments, and IASC tools such as the Minimum Service Package.
During the same week, a national-global MHPSS forum was held to involve Ethiopian professionals and make use of the presence of global leaders. Organized by the IASC MHPSS Reference Group and WHO Ethiopia, the forum focused on strengthening MHPSS systems both in Ethiopia and globally. Speakers included WHO’s Representative to Ethiopia, IASC co-chairs, TWG leaders, and officials from Africa CDC, UNICEF, the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), the Embassy of the Netherlands, and others.
Following the global meeting, an Academic Writing Training was held on February 8–9. Hosted by ARQ International and co-organized by WHO, the UK Public Health Rapid Support Team, and Intervention journal, the training helped MHPSS professionals develop evidence-based publications. It included presentations, hands-on exercises, and writing sessions on crafting titles, pitching ideas, outlining articles, and using AI tools. Ongoing support is being provided to help participants finalize and submit their work.
Together, these events highlighted a unified global effort to strengthen leadership, improve coordination, and build a stronger evidence base for MHPSS in humanitarian settings. They also reaffirmed the need for continued investment in collaboration and knowledge sharing to support people affected by crises.
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