Flagship on tackling stigma
One of the 20 flagship initiatives of the Comprehensive approach to mental health addresses stigma and discrimination surrounding mental health. EUR 18 million of EU funding will
- improve the quality of life of patients, their families and (in)formal carers, including cancer patients, with a particular focus on addressing stigma and discrimination by supporting Member States to identify and implement best practices
- support stakeholders to implement projects, such as awareness-raising activities to break through stigma and address discrimination, ensure social inclusion, protect the rights of patients, focusing on vulnerable groups
- develop EU guidance on breaking through stigma and tackling discrimination with the Member States under the Expert Group on Public Health and stakeholder groups
- Promote awareness in the fight against stigma.
EU support package
The European Commission has worked with experts from EU Member States, stakeholders from the mental health community and international organisations including the World Health Organization to develop an EU support package. This package will help EU countries and the mental health community to create a more inclusive and supportive approach towards stigma around mental health.
The #InThisTogether campaign is part of this action. The campaign is developed in partnership with Mental Health Europe and ENUSP.
Identifying the best and promising practices
The EU best practice portal shares successful and promising initiatives from across the EU so that national authorities and stakeholders can learn from each other’s experience. The below initiatives address stigma around mental health.
Act Belong Commit (Denmark): aims to improve mental health creating mentally healthy and inclusive sports communities. Decreasing stigma around mental health is one of its founding pillars.
Living and Learning Together. Awareness, Prevention and Resilience Building in School (Greece) aims to strengthen the mental health resilience of learners and young people in school communities through a multidisciplinary approach that includes raising awareness, promoting human rights, and eliminating stigma.
H-work project (Italy) aims to improve mental well-being in the workplace by evaluating psychosocial risks and implementing targeted interventions that address stigma related to mental health.
Beyond Barriers (France) promotes the introduction of innovative roles in the provision of mental health services, with the aim of improving empowerment through reduced stigma and enhanced quality of care.
Fighting Stigma at Work: One of Us (Denmark) focuses on combatting stigma by facilitating identification, empathy and reflection through, for example challenging myths with facts, social contact activities where target groups can meet people with lived experience of mental health problems and dialogues at schools, workplaces and other settings.
Investing in people and projects to fight stigma
The EU funding programmes (for example, EU4Health and Horizon Europe) invest in Joint Actions which help EU countries collaborate together to tackle stigma and in projects and people that can make a difference on the ground in EU.