National Mental Health Policy 2026–2035 · Policy Area 10
Building a movement for mental health awareness, participation and action.
Pakistan’s National Mental Health Policy 2026–2035 sets out a vision for a more inclusive, accessible and responsive mental health system. Turning that vision into reality requires more than government action alone. It calls for a whole-of-society approach—one that brings together people with lived experience, families, young people, professionals and communities.
Ambassadors for Mental Health — Pakistan is a GIHD-led initiative designed to mobilise people across the country to advance mental health awareness, meaningful participation and action, in alignment with Policy Area 10: Lived Experience and Social Participation.
Together, we can help ensure that the people most affected by mental health policy and services have a meaningful role in shaping them.
National Leadership & Direction
Hear from the Minister of State for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, Dr. Malik Mukhtar Ahmed Bharath, on the importance of advancing mental health in Pakistan and the role of collective action in turning national commitments into meaningful change.
A Message from GIHD
Who can help shape the future of mental health in Pakistan? In this video, Dr. Syed Usman Hamdani explains the kinds of people and perspectives GIHD hopes to bring together through the Ambassadors for Mental Health programme—and how individuals can contribute to a more inclusive, responsive and compassionate mental health system.
We are looking for people who care about mental health and want to make a difference, including:
You do not need to fit a single profile to contribute. We value diverse perspectives, community connections and a commitment to meaningful change.
Your voice matters. Your experience matters. Your participation can help shape the future of mental health in Pakistan.
Policy Area 10
Pakistan’s National Mental Health Policy 2026–2035 recognises that a stronger mental health system must include the voices of people with lived experience, families and caregivers—not only as recipients of services, but as contributors to decisions that affect their lives.
Policy Area 10: Lived Experience and Social Participation calls for the meaningful participation of people with lived experience, families and caregivers in mental health policy development, service design, implementation and monitoring.
However, these voices are often missing from formal decision-making. Opportunities to participate may be limited, inconsistent or consultative rather than genuinely influential. Families and communities can also face barriers to sharing feedback, influencing service design and holding systems accountable.
The Ambassadors for Mental Health programme aims to help address these gaps by building connections between communities, lived-experience perspectives, civil society, professionals and institutions.
Strategic Alignment
The programme will work towards translating the eight strategic actions under Policy Area 10 into practical opportunities for participation and engagement.
Support efforts to ensure that people with lived experience, families and caregivers have meaningful opportunities to contribute to mental health policy discussions, technical working groups and relevant decision-making forums.
Ambassadors can help identify community perspectives, communicate priorities and encourage more inclusive participation.
Help connect people with lived experience and families with relevant networks, civil society organisations and opportunities for collective action.
The programme can support the visibility and participation of independent lived-experience and family-led groups, while advocating for the resources and institutional support they need to operate sustainably.
Promote approaches that involve service users, families and communities in shaping mental health services, programmes and interventions.
Ambassadors may contribute to consultations, focus groups, advisory activities and co-design opportunities facilitated by relevant institutions.
Advance awareness of dignity, inclusion, informed participation and the rights of people accessing mental health services.
Where appropriate, trained ambassadors with lived experience may contribute to authorised rights-based service assessments, including activities informed by WHO QualityRights approaches.
Help communities understand available channels for sharing concerns, experiences and recommendations about mental health services.
The programme will seek to connect community feedback with relevant organisations and authorities, while recognising that formal grievance mechanisms and their resolution remain the responsibility of the designated institutions.
Promote the value of peer support and the contribution of people with lived experience to mental health recovery and support.
Subject to appropriate training, supervision, resources and institutional arrangements, the programme may help connect interested individuals with peer-support development opportunities.
Create opportunities for young people and community members to contribute to mental health discussions, consultations and local initiatives.
Participation should be accessible, inclusive, voluntary and appropriately safeguarded, with attention to diverse experiences and perspectives.
Help bring community priorities, lived-experience insights and feedback into relevant discussions on mental health research, service quality and policy implementation.
The programme aims to strengthen the connection between what people experience in their communities and the decisions made by institutions responsible for mental health.
Core Activities
Ambassadors will contribute according to their interests, skills, experience, availability and the opportunities available through the programme.
Their activities may include:
Promote informed, compassionate conversations about mental health and help challenge stigma and misconceptions.
Share perspectives and priorities from their communities, including those that are often underrepresented.
Encourage the inclusion of people with lived experience and families in relevant discussions and consultations.
Contribute to awareness sessions, dialogues, campaigns and local initiatives.
Participate in consultations and other authorised opportunities to share feedback and recommendations.
Strengthen links between communities, civil society, professionals and relevant institutions.
Help communicate community concerns through appropriate channels and encourage constructive follow-up.
Who We Are Looking For
We welcome expressions of interest from people across Pakistan who are committed to advancing mental health awareness, participation and action.
People who have experienced mental health challenges, sought support or navigated recovery, and who wish to contribute their perspectives voluntarily.
Individuals who have supported a family member or loved one experiencing mental health difficulties and want to help improve services, support systems and public understanding.
Young people, university students and early-career individuals interested in mental health, community engagement, research, advocacy or public health.
Psychologists, psychiatrists, counsellors, researchers and allied professionals who want to contribute to a more inclusive and participatory mental health system.
Community organisers, educators, social-sector professionals, civil society representatives and others who can help engage diverse communities.
You do not need to be a mental health professional to contribute. The programme values lived experience, community knowledge, professional expertise and a willingness to learn and collaborate.
Participation by people with lived experience will always be voluntary. No one will be required to disclose personal experiences publicly or share information they wish to keep private.
Support & Growth
The programme aims to equip ambassadors with the knowledge, connections and support needed to participate meaningfully.
Depending on programme arrangements and available resources, opportunities may include:
The Participation Journey
Identify and engage people from diverse backgrounds, experiences and communities across Pakistan.
Provide orientation and relevant training so ambassadors understand the programme, their roles, participation opportunities and ethical responsibilities.
Connect ambassadors with suitable awareness activities, community initiatives, consultations and other approved opportunities.
Capture insights, concerns and recommendations shared through programme activities, with appropriate consent, confidentiality and safeguards.
Where appropriate, communicate themes and recommendations to relevant institutions and partners, encourage follow-up and help identify opportunities for community participation in implementation and review.
Review participation, learn from ambassadors’ experiences and refine the programme to strengthen inclusion, accessibility and impact.
Coordination & Ethics
The Global Institute of Human Development (GIHD), based at Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University (STMU), works to advance mental health and public health through evidence, research, partnerships and action.
In the context of the National Mental Health Policy 2026–2035, GIHD will support the development and coordination of the Ambassadors for Mental Health programme as a mechanism for strengthening public participation and connecting community perspectives with relevant policy and implementation processes.
GIHD’s role may include:
A programme built around lived experience must ensure that participation is respectful, safe and meaningful.
We aim to uphold the following principles:
Questions & Answers
It is a GIHD-led initiative intended to engage people across Pakistan in advancing mental health awareness, meaningful participation and action, in alignment with Policy Area 10 of the National Mental Health Policy 2026–2035.
People with lived experience, families and communities are essential to shaping responsive mental health systems, yet their participation in decision-making is often limited. The programme aims to help create stronger pathways for their voices and perspectives to inform action.
People with lived experience, family members and caregivers, young people, students, mental health professionals, researchers, community leaders and civil society advocates who are interested in contributing to mental health in Pakistan.
No. Participation does not require public disclosure of personal experiences. Ambassadors can contribute in ways that respect their privacy, preferences and boundaries.
No. The programme is not a clinical service and does not qualify ambassadors to provide treatment. Any specialist or peer-support role would require appropriate training, safeguards and institutional arrangements.
The programme aims to create and facilitate relevant opportunities for participation and consultation. Formal appointments to government bodies, statutory decision-making roles and official policy responsibilities remain subject to the relevant authorities’ processes.
The programme intends to provide relevant orientation and training. Specific opportunities, requirements and available support will be communicated as implementation arrangements are confirmed.
Use the expression-of-interest or application link on this page to register your interest once applications open. Details on eligibility, selection, training and participation will be shared through official GIHD channels.
