Dear Members, Dear Colleagues
Our next World Congress on Women's Mental Health will be held in Maastricht (a wonderful historical city at the heart of Europe). It will be an important moment of exchange, networking and sharing for all people who work in the field of women's mental health. You cannot miss it. CLICK HERE to view our very attractive scientific program.
Indeed, a number of unresolved issues persist in the area of women's mental health. Not only do women have an increased risk of anxiety and depressive disorders, an increased risk of being exposed to violence but women are also more prone than men to feel stigmatized for seeking assistance with a mental health issue worldwide.
Moreover, for reasons related to epidemics, climate change, wars, violence has increased in many countries and women pay a heavy price for these events. The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women was adopted by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in 1979. It became the only near-universal treaty that comprehensively protects women’s human rights, including their sexual and reproductive health rights. The United States of America is one of seven States worldwide that have not ratified this Convention. The other States that are not parties to the Convention are Iran, Palau, Somalia, Sudan, Tonga, and the Holy See. The UN women’s rights committee recently urged the United States of America to adhere to this convention. Furthermore, according to the American Psychiatric Association (2020), "restrictive abortion and contraception policies have been shown to be related to an increased risk for a variety of mental health problems and may have a negative impact on the overall health of women, including physical, emotional, and social wellbeing". There is still a long way to go to protect women and this congress will be a way to contribute to it.
I also take this opportunity to announce that we will continue our webinars on women's mental health, the next one will be held on October 3, 2022 on Women’s Mental Health Specificities: Nature or Nurture?. Information is available below or at www.iawmh.org or at Debby Tucker's email address at [email protected].
Looking forward to seeing you in person in Maastricht soon.
Have a nice summer
Best regards
Professor Florence Thibaut, University of Paris, France
IAWMH President
