October 10 marked World Mental Health Day, dedicated to raising awareness of mental health issues and mobilizing efforts to support better mental health around the world. This year’s theme was “Making Mental Health and Well-Being for All a Global Priority.”

People affected by displacement commonly face a host of stressors that negatively impact their mental health and well-being, including human rights violations, discrimination, harsh living conditions, loss of property, the disruption of social networks, a lack of community support, distressful personal events and sustained uncertainty about the future.

Iraq is still recovering from years of conflict and massive internal displacement, and mental health needs remain urgent.

This year, IOM’s Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Programme marked World Mental Health Day with a series of events and activities across the country.

In Salah al-Din Governorate’s El-Eitha and Qanous villages, where cycling showed to be among the most common interests of local youth, the MHPSS team held a bicycle race for community members, supporting volunteers to repair broken bicycles so that more children could join in. Exercise can contribute to improved mental well-being and provides an opportunity for the strengthening of community bonds.

During consultations with women in Salah al-Din’s Shirqat district, many participants shared childhood experiences of flying kites and the sense of joy and freedom that accompanied it. IOM supported a group of women to reconnect with the activity, providing materials necessary for kite-making and hosting a kite-flying afternoon. In addition to its physical health benefits, kite flying can improve mental and emotional health by creating the opportunity for fun and connection with nature.

And in locations across Anbar, Ninewa, Duhok and Salah al-Din governorates, a number of activities were held to reduce stigma around mental health issues and seeking help, and to raise awareness of available MHPSS services.

The MHPSS programme supports internally displaced persons (IDPs), returnees and host communities to regain a sense of safety and security, increase self- and community efficacy, create or reactivate social networks and develop tools to deal with the past and regain hope for the future.

The programme also endeavors to protect the mental health and well-being of frontline workers who work directly with affected communities.

Indeed, in Hassan Sham U3 Camp for IDPs – where IOM implements a variety of projects – one team conducted an interactive session with staff from partner organizations on the importance of self-care and building skills to effectively deal with work-related burnout.

IOM MHPSS teams in Duhok and Ninewa governorates also offered self-care and mental health and well-being activities to local partner, civil society, NGO and INGO staff who provide various humanitarian services in the governorates’ camps and cities, as well as for staff working in schools and primary health care centres.

Whether among beneficiaries or those working to support them, IOM is endeavoring to making mental health and well-being for all a global priority.