Decolonising Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Interventions in the Humanitarian System

Mental health is an increasing concern around the world, but there is a substantial gap in terms of access to quality mental healthcare between Western and non-Western countries. To help close this gap and improve the delivery of mental health and psychosocial support services (MHPSS), the UN’s 2016...

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Main Author: Roei Shaul Hillel
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2023-01-01
Series:Intervention
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.interventionjournal.org/article.asp?issn=1571-8883;year=2023;volume=21;issue=1;spage=20;epage=29;aulast=Hillel
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author Roei Shaul Hillel
author_facet Roei Shaul Hillel
author_sort Roei Shaul Hillel
collection DOAJ
description Mental health is an increasing concern around the world, but there is a substantial gap in terms of access to quality mental healthcare between Western and non-Western countries. To help close this gap and improve the delivery of mental health and psychosocial support services (MHPSS), the UN’s 2016 Grand Bargain declared a new approach of prioritising the localisation of these services. This paper examines the effects of the Grand Bargain on the localisation of mental health and psychosocial support services in non-Western countries, as a means to decolonise mental health. An outcome evaluation to measure the amount of funding received by local and national agencies that provide MHPSS services in less economically developed countries was carried out. All data were gathered from the UN Financing Track System (FTS), and looked at financial contributions over time in six humanitarian sectors: health; water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH); gender-based violence; nutrition; protection and shelter. The results show that only 3% of international donors’ MHPSS-related humanitarian funding is received by local and national agencies between 2017 and 2021. Most of the localised MHPSS-related funding is driven by country-based pooled funds, with Middle Eastern countries as the primary beneficiaries, and localised MHPSS funding predominantly went to the health, WASH and protection sectors. This study found that limited localisation of MHPSS services in less economically developed countries, and a limited focus on community capacity building through associated humanitarian sectors. Based on this study, it is recommended that humanitarians should advocate for increased localisation and culturally competent practices in the MHPSS space.
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spelling doaj.art-1240e1ff98954d0b856ee1f54ea1bba02023-05-18T06:16:51ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsIntervention1571-88831872-10012023-01-01211202910.4103/intv.intv_20_22Decolonising Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Interventions in the Humanitarian SystemRoei Shaul HillelMental health is an increasing concern around the world, but there is a substantial gap in terms of access to quality mental healthcare between Western and non-Western countries. To help close this gap and improve the delivery of mental health and psychosocial support services (MHPSS), the UN’s 2016 Grand Bargain declared a new approach of prioritising the localisation of these services. This paper examines the effects of the Grand Bargain on the localisation of mental health and psychosocial support services in non-Western countries, as a means to decolonise mental health. An outcome evaluation to measure the amount of funding received by local and national agencies that provide MHPSS services in less economically developed countries was carried out. All data were gathered from the UN Financing Track System (FTS), and looked at financial contributions over time in six humanitarian sectors: health; water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH); gender-based violence; nutrition; protection and shelter. The results show that only 3% of international donors’ MHPSS-related humanitarian funding is received by local and national agencies between 2017 and 2021. Most of the localised MHPSS-related funding is driven by country-based pooled funds, with Middle Eastern countries as the primary beneficiaries, and localised MHPSS funding predominantly went to the health, WASH and protection sectors. This study found that limited localisation of MHPSS services in less economically developed countries, and a limited focus on community capacity building through associated humanitarian sectors. Based on this study, it is recommended that humanitarians should advocate for increased localisation and culturally competent practices in the MHPSS space.http://www.interventionjournal.org/article.asp?issn=1571-8883;year=2023;volume=21;issue=1;spage=20;epage=29;aulast=Hillellocalisationmhpssmental health and psychosocial supportthe grand bargain
spellingShingle Roei Shaul Hillel
Decolonising Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Interventions in the Humanitarian System
Intervention
localisation
mhpss
mental health and psychosocial support
the grand bargain
title Decolonising Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Interventions in the Humanitarian System
title_full Decolonising Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Interventions in the Humanitarian System
title_fullStr Decolonising Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Interventions in the Humanitarian System
title_full_unstemmed Decolonising Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Interventions in the Humanitarian System
title_short Decolonising Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Interventions in the Humanitarian System
title_sort decolonising mental health and psychosocial support mhpss interventions in the humanitarian system
topic localisation
mhpss
mental health and psychosocial support
the grand bargain
url http://www.interventionjournal.org/article.asp?issn=1571-8883;year=2023;volume=21;issue=1;spage=20;epage=29;aulast=Hillel
work_keys_str_mv AT roeishaulhillel decolonisingmentalhealthandpsychosocialsupportmhpssinterventionsinthehumanitariansystem