Mohamed Shehata’s Post

Good humanitarianism is helping people to help themselves get back on their own feet.

𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐀𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐭 📑 Check out HelpAge International's recently published good practice guide on "𝘔𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩 & 𝘗𝘴𝘺𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘚𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘴." "In humanitarian crises, whether due to natural disasters, armed conflicts, or complex and/or protracted crises, older people face unique challenges that can severely impact their mental health and #psychosocial well-being. Displacement, loss of family, and the destruction of assets can exacerbate existing vulnerabilities like chronic health issues and social #isolation. Despite their resilience, older people are often overlooked in #emergency responses, leading to critical gaps in #support and #protection." 👉 Access this essential guide here: https://lnkd.in/eaiYHDZA #MHPSS #MentalHealth #PsychosocialSupport #Psychological #Scalable #GlobalMentalHealth #GlobalHealth #CommunityHealth #MentalWellness #SocialImpact #MakeADifference #MentalHealthForAll #MentalHealthMatters #MakeMentalHealthMatter #Training #CapacityBuilding #CapacityStrengthening

Older people are often the unsung heroes in our communities—carers, supporters, and holders of invaluable skills and wisdom. Yet, in humanitarian crises, they are too frequently forgotten, treated as a homogenous group, or excluded from critical support systems. Their unique needs and risks, such as mobility challenges, chronic health conditions, or psychosocial stress, are often overlooked. Equally, their contributions—be it as caregivers, mediators, or repositories of cultural knowledge—go unrecognised. This is why I'm so pleased my sister Marion Staunton brought this good practice guide to my attention. This essential guide champions inclusive approaches that respect older adults' agency and address the specific barriers they face during crises. Let’s work together to ensure older people are visible, valued, and supported. Their voices matter, and their inclusion is not just a necessity—it’s a right. #HumanitarianAction #Inclusion #MentalHealth #OlderPeople #GoodPractice

Mental disorders in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) do not attract local, national or global health policy attention, although accounting for a considerable burden of disease. The majority of people with mental disorders do not receive evidence-based care, leading to chronicity, suffering and increased costs of care. Strengthening care and services for people with mental disorders is a priority and needs additional investment in human resources and piggy-backing on existing public health programmes. This is something that was strongly highlighted at the Africa CDC, CBM Global Disability Inclusion, Wellcome Trust, The American University in Cairo Mental Health Leadership Program. Looking around me, and seeing the dire need at Butabika National Referral Mental Hospital, really drives the point home for me. With a capacity of 550 beds, and the mental health crisis on the rise in Uganda, we need to do more to support people with mental health needs in our communities. And that could mean integration of mental health care services at the primary health care centers, and increased #InvestmentInMentalHealth by funders. Thoughts? Let's end the stigma and advocate for increased investment in mental health at all levels. #mentalhealth #LMICs #globalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #healthcare #publichealth #investment #advocacy

Access to quality healthcare is a human right. According to the World Health Organization, every person has the right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. Survivors of gender-based violence have this same right, and healthcare providers have a responsibility to uphold this right. Healthcare providers are often the first point of contact for survivors seeking help, and their response influences the survivor's healing process and overall well-being. They should be able to recognize the signs of GBV, provide physical and psychological care, collect forensic evidence of GBV, refer survivors to support services, and advocate for survivors. In AHI's humanitarian work in Northern Nigeria, we are involved with providing training for health workers on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS), GBV Case Management, Clinical Management of Rape, and the Referral Pathway System. These are all needed components of an effective response to GBV, particularly in emergencies.  #ActionHealthInc #16Days #NoExcuse #AHIendGBV

Insightfull athologising #normal responses One #challenge in #mentalhealth practice is the tendency to pathologise, or medicalise, normal, adaptive #responses to #traumatic events. In #crisis settings, #fear, #sadness, or #anxiety are often #natural reactions to extraordinary #stress. However, labelling these #emotional responses as #symptoms of #mentalillness risks diminishing the #resilience and #coping capacities of affected individuals. #Humanitarian teams must differentiate between #distress that requires #clinical #intervention and #natural emotional responses to #adversity, ensuring that #support #services #empower rather than #stigmatise #individuals."

#DYK: School-based #mentalhealth & psychosocial support is a required component in every #ECW country investment – helping crisis-affected children cope+heal from stress & adversity to reach their full potential! Learn about ECW’s approach to #MHPSS💚 ➡️ https://bit.ly/3pV6en6

What we have learned and studied; what we can share about forced displacement, psychological, post war & post-blockade trauma - featured on Psychology Today. #Artsakh #Refugees #Exodus #LifeFromScratch

This new study explores the mediating role of psychological distress in the relationship between migration experiences, stigma and discrimination, and coping strategies among Ethiopian migrants to the Middle East and South Africa. https://lnkd.in/dV97u8_h