As part of the technical cooperation that PAHO provides to countries in the Americas region, a course has been organised on PAHO's public health virtual campus designed to guide national actors involved in humanitarian response on the development of intersectoral coordination mechanisms, including how to establish, organise and facilitate a Technical Working Group (TWG) on MHPSS in accordance with the IASC (Inter-Agency Standing Committee) guidance on mental health and psychosocial support in humanitarian emergencies and disasters.
The course provides an overview of the guiding principles and instruments of humanitarian action, includes tools for the implementation of effective MHPSS actions and addresses in a practical way the operationalisation of a TWG. The ultimate goal of the course is the meaningful and appropriate integration of mental health and psychosocial support response into emergency preparedness and response plans in the Americas region.
The course is being attended by personnel from the education, health, and protection sectors among others from 10 Latin American countries: Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela.
The course is facilitated in collaboration with the following agencies and organisations: UNHCR, the Global Child Protection Area of Responsibility, IFRC, IOM, UNAIDS, UNICEF and UNFPA. This interagency work emphasizes the intersectoral approach to mental health and psychosocial well-being and the need to provide coordinated action that responds to the needs of the population, especially the most vulnerable groups.
PAHO is very proud to be leading the creation and development of intersectoral coordination mechanisms for mental health and psychosocial well-being in emergency situations and will continue to provide support in the effective creation of technical working groups, once the course is completed, in collaboration with other organisations.