Partnership project on empowerment

WHO and the European Commission are co-funding a partnership project aimed at supporting Member States to improve strategies and actions to empower people with mental health problems and their carers – enabling people with mental health problems to develop and express their full potential as equal citizens. The project started in April 2008 and runs to March 2011.

Components

1. Identification of indicators of user empowerment in mental health
2. Identification of good practice in user empowerment
3. Support of governments and local actors in creating an environment for user participation
4. Promotion of the mainstreaming of good practice in user empowerment in mental health

Implementation

The project will be implemented jointly with the relevant WHO networks and Commission expert groups. The advisory group and working groups for this project are drawn from user and carer associations, nongovernmental organizations, WHO collaborating centres in the European Region, and other experts in policy, human rights and social inclusion.

The project supports implementation of the Declaration and Action Plan for Mental Health and the European Commission’s mental health agenda as reflected in the European Pact for Mental Health 2008. Three meetings have been held so far, in 2008 and 2009.