Kolajna Ljubavi recently had the privilege of participating in the conference “Human Rights and Mental Health in the 21st Century”, which aimed to explore the intricate connection between human rights and mental health in modern society.  

Mental health and human rights are deeply interconnected, as good mental health is not only a matter of personal well-being but also a fundamental human right that enables individuals to fulfill their potential and actively participate in society.  

According to the World Health Organization, mental health is a state in which a person can cope with life’s challenges, work productively, and contribute to their community. Without safeguarding the right to mental health, individuals face discrimination, social isolation, and unequal opportunities, directly jeopardizing their fundamental freedoms and dignity.  

Good mental health fosters satisfaction, stable social relationships, resilience to life’s stresses, and the realization of personal potential. Achieving this right requires ongoing investment in all dimensions of well-being: emotional, psychological, social, physical, and spiritual.  

The conference brought together experts from various sectors to encourage interdisciplinary discussions and knowledge exchange on ways to protect and promote mental health as a basic human right. With a focus on practical solutions, participants worked to integrate scientific approaches and professional perspectives to advance policies and practices that uphold mental health as an essential component of human rights.  

The insights from this conference will greatly benefit our volunteers, who regularly visit both nursing homes and institutions for young people with mental health challenges. They encounter a variety of conditions, including dementia, ADHD, and autism spectrum disorders. These experiences are invaluable for volunteers, helping them to better navigate their roles and recognize such behaviors in their communities.  

We would like to take this opportunity to encourage everyone to pay attention to the people around them, identify those in need of help, and make an effort to ensure they receive adequate support. Often, these individuals are unable to seek help themselves.