March 2021. - Two regional virtual trainings were conducted early this year for the development of technical working groups on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in humanitarian emergencies and disasters (MHPSS), at the inter-sectoral level, in compliance with international principles of humanitarian action and the IASC (Inter-Agency Standing Committee) guidelines. The sessions were delivered in Spanish for Latin America and in English for the English Caribbean.
These trainings have boosted inter-agency and inter-sectoral joint work and have reactivated the discussion about the need for MHPSS coordination mechanisms at the regional level. As of March 2021, two meetings have been held between UN agencies and NGOs with the aim of identifying which actors are working in MHPSS, where they work and at what levels of intervention, as well as to discuss the need and type of MHPSS coordination mechanism expected. One of the first actions developed was conducting a survey to collect this information from the different actors involved.
As a result of these meetings and of the survey's findings, a virtual space was created, MHPSS.NET, a hosted online platform that enables members to share resources and best practices, join groups and interact with others, based on their work and interests. The platform also plays an important role in mobilizing capacities, resources and supporting coordination around MHPSS response during emergencies.
We see this as an important step forward in making visible the ongoing work in MHPSS across different sectors (mainly health, education and protection, among others) and in strengthening harmonized and evidence-based responses, according to international standards, adapted to different contexts, given the humanitarian challenges faced by the Region.