Human Rights Day is observed internationally every year on the 10th of December. It commemorates the day in 1948 when the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). In 1991, the UNGA further adopted the ‘Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness and the Improvement of Mental Health Care’ which lay down the rights that people with mental health difficulties should have, and standards that mental health care systems should meet.

This year’s Human Rights Day theme focuses on ‘Equality‘ and Article 1 of the UDHR – “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights”. This underlines the urgent need to address and find solutions that improve the lives and protects the rights of the most vulnerable people, including those with mental health difficulties and psychosocial disabilities in an inclusive and sustainable way.

Some of the most pressing challenges of today, such as digitalization and the current pandemic, have affected all individuals and organizations, but disproportionately. Among those are Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) comprising more than 90% of European and Australian businesses which have experienced an exacerbated risk to the impact of mental health problems due to insufficient resources, expertise, and knowledge about how to implement mental health promotion in the workplace.

The EU-funded project MENTUPP, coordinated by Prof. Ella Arensman, aims to improve mental health of employers, managers and employees in SMEs in Europe and Australia. It addresses both non-clinical aspects such as stress, wellbeing and burnout, and clinical aspects such as depression and anxiety disorders, as well as reducing stigma related to mental health in SME sectors associated with high levels of mental health problems and suicide, including construction, health, and Information Communications Technology.

In support of Human Rights Day, the MENTUPP consortium encourages organisations and other stakeholders to talk about actions they can take now to ensure

‘Mental health for all’.

For further information on mental health as a human right, please visit:

Mental Health and Human Rights

WHO Europe – Mental health, human rights and standards of care

For further information on the MENTUPP project, please see: MENTUPP