Mental illnesses do not choose their victims; they affect people of all ages, cultures and socio-economic backgrounds. They have a major negative impact on the individual’s physical health, wellbeing, social relationships, personal productivity and contribution to society.
Despite the importance of mental health, in all countries, there is a significant gap between the prevalence of mental disorders and the number of people receiving appropriate treatment and care. Of the 450 million people suffering from mental illnesses worldwide, fewer than half are receiving the care they need.
A unique activity has been adopted for World Mental Health Day 2013. This year, WHO/Jordan and hundreds of other organizations, and groups around the world are joining together for a global march in support of Mental Health. A special request was made by a mental health service user in Canada requesting people around the world to join a large scale global march on October 5. WHO/Jordan is proud to be part of this worldwide rally.
Under the Patronage of HRH Princess Muna Al Hussein, the Ministry of Health, World Health Organization and partners cordially invite you to attend a March on the occasion of the World Mental Health Day 2013. The event aims to raise awareness on mental health issues, and will target various health providers, stakeholders, students, advocates, beneficiaries and community members.
The Jordan theme selected this year is “Mental Health: Across All Ages”, to reflect the importance of addressing mental health issues across all stages of life. As Ms Zein Ayoub, WHO Mental Health Officer states ”We are very glad to be joining advocates across the globe to empower people with mental health problems and their families in Jordan, and to fight stigma and raise awareness around the importance of mental health at all stages of life. We know that mental illnesses can be disabling for affected children, adolescents, adults and older adults, hindering their daily-life functioning and affecting various areas of their lives, and we in Jordan are determined to continue raising our voices in support of people with mental illnesses.”
The rally will take place on Saturday, 5 October 2013, at 10:00am at the Orthodox Club in Amman. Please join us with your children, families and friends to support Mental Health in Jordan, and around the world.
