PUBLICATION - WHO Unit on Policy, Law and Human Rights: MH related materials
Selection of key MH tools produced by the WHO Unit on Policy, Law and Human Rights.
PUBLICATION - WHO Unit on Policy, Law and Human Rights: MH related materials
PUBLICATION - WHO Unit on Policy, Law and Human Rights: MH related materials
Over the past months, WHO has undergone considerable restructuring. As a result, the Unit on Policy, Law and Human Rights has been closed.
Below is a selection of the key tools that they leave behind:
The MiNDbank
MiNDBank is a global online platform providing a single point of access to comprehensive policy resources on mental health, substance use, disability, general health, human rights and development. We are extremely grateful that a new institutional home could be found for MiNDBank and thank the team for their commitment and work to ensure its continuation.
Policy and law
- WHO guidance on mental health policies and strategic action plans
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240114388 - WHO guidance on policy and strategic actions to protect and promote mental health across government sectors
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240114388 - Mental health, human rights and legislation: guidance and practice (WHO/OHCHR)
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240080737
Service organization and development
- WHO guidance and technical packages on rights-based community mental health services
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240025707 - WHO guidance on transforming services and promoting human rights
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241516815 - WHO QualityRights service assessment toolkit
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241548410 - WHO tool for person-centred recovery planning
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241516822
Capacity building and training
- WHO QualityRights core training modules
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-qualityrights-guidance-and-training-tools - WHO QualityRights specialized training modules
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-qualityrights-guidance-and-training-tools - WHO QualityRights Training: Humanitarian Edition
https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/who-qualityrights-training--humanitarian-edition - WHO QualityRights e-training on mental health, recovery and community inclusion – which has had more than 150,000 learners (now moved to the WHO Academy)
https://whoacademy.org/
Advocacy, civil society and peer support
- WHO tools for advocacy and civil society
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-qualityrights-guidance-and-training-tools - WHO guidance on peer support (peer support groups and one-to-one peer support)
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-qualityrights-guidance-and-training-tools
Even though the specific Unit on Policy, Law and Human Rights may no longer exist as a standalone unit at Geneva HQ:
- Human rights work remains an implicit part of WHO’s mandate (right to health is in the WHO Constitution and fundamental to its technical work).
- Human rights‑related legal support and rights‑based guidance (e.g., for mental health policy) is now embedded within broader programme divisions such as those dealing with health systems policy or health promotion, as part of rights‑based approaches rather than as a separate cluster.