The UNHCR has issued a statement welcoming steps in addressing mental health problems among refugees and displaced people. It stressed that a lot more still has to be done to assist people fleeing war and persecution.
Following the Belarus-EU border crisis, thousands of asylum seekers entered Lithuania. A year later, many still remain in detention with little contact with the outside world. These are stories of several artists who are trying to create connection through their art.
The UN Refugee Agency UNHCR and UNICEF have reported that about 234,000 Ukrainian refugees were able to use protection and support services provided by 36 "Blue Dot" hubs across seven countries.
37 civil organizations and charities sent a letter to Greek authorities, addressing the alleged mistreatment of LGBTQI+ asylum seekers in Greece. The letter was addressed directly to Greece's Secretary General of Reception of Asylum Seekers Manos Logothetis and Secretary General of Migration Policy Patroklos Georgiadis.
Medical evidence in a report shows that the risk of suicide among asylum seekers in the UK has risen ever since the policy of sending them to Rwanda was first floated earlier in 2022.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the European Union have launched a project to offer mental health services to over 300,000 people from Ukraine. The project aims to support those who have been exposed to trauma and conflict.
Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) has warned that over 2,500 asylum seekers and migrants are being detained in "inhumane" conditions in Lithuania after they crossed the border from Belarus. The NGO said many are at risk of mental health degradation.
Many Ukrainians fleeing the war in their country are likely to suffer severe mental health issues in the long-term, experts believe. They worry that all refugees could soon face even longer wait periods before they can get help, as demand for counseling exceeds availabilities.
The Swiss Refugee Council has called on the government to stop returning migrants with mental health problems to Italy. It says reception conditions in Italy remain extremely precarious, and deporting vulnerable people may be putting their human rights at risk.
A study, carried out by the WHO and published in World Psychiatry on January 11, indicates that a course of self-help for refugees experiencing psychological distress can be effective at preventing the development of a mental disorder.
Germany's new government should create more legal pathways for those fleeing conflict and persecution, says Germany's chief psychotherapist. In light of recent attacks in Germany by refugees with psychological disorders, he also stressed the need for better access to treatment.
On the occasion of World Mental Health Day on 10 October, UNHCR has appealed to the international community to promote quality mental health support for refugees, internally displaced and stateless people. It said a growing number of people are asking for help with anxiety and depression.