The Collaborative’s Senior Technical Advisor on MHPSS and Youth Victor Ugo spotlights the WHO MiNDbank
Welcome to the Spotlight Section, where we highlight useful tools, trends, and research in the field of MHPSS. This column is dedicated to keeping our network up-to-date with the latest developments and practical resources, with the goal of sharing information that inspires fresh ideas and drives innovation.
This month, we want to spotlight the WHO MiNDbank – a comprehensive online resource that brings together national and international documents covering mental health, substance use, disability, general health, human rights, and development. The MiNDbank is a practical tool that allows you to explore a centralized repository of policies, laws, strategies, service standards, and reports from around the globe.
The MiNDbank platform is the only single point globally where you can access all of this comprehensive information. It serves as a powerful conduit for sharing key national resources and best practices across countries, uniting essential areas to facilitate a holistic approach and minimize fragmentation and duplication of efforts both within and across nations, paving the way for more effective advocacy and advancing research in these critical fields.
The MiNDbank can be used to conduct in-depth comparisons of how different countries address these critical issues. When you need to understand trends or identify best practices, MiNDbank provides the data and context to support informed decision-making. Researchers can pinpoint policy shifts over time, policymakers can gain insights into effective strategies, and advocates or practitioners can find evidence-based resources to strengthen their local initiatives—especially in settings where resources are limited.
WHO MiNDbank is designed for a wide range of audiences, including mental health, disability, and health policy makers and planners; legislators and parliamentarians; advocates, NGOs, and DPOs working in mental health, substance use, disability, and human rights; international and regional human rights bodies and mechanisms; national bodies established under international human rights frameworks; academic centres and researchers; health and mental health clinicians; and education and training centres.
The platform also features versatile search functionalities, allowing users to find resources by topic or type, as well as by country. This makes it an invaluable tool for comparing policies, identifying gaps, and driving evidence-based improvements in mental health and human rights.
In collaboration with WHO Member States and global partners, MiNDbank is continually updated with new and curated content. It provides not just a snapshot of current policies but also serves as a dynamic tool that evolves as new research and innovative practices emerge. Through this resource, users gain the clarity needed to develop more evidence-based and effective approaches to mental health and human rights.
For more information on how WHO MiNDbank can support your work, please visit the platform at https://extranet.who.int/mindbank/.
