HomeKnowledge LibraryThe Early Years: Mental Health in Humanitarian Crises
HomeKnowledge LibraryThe Early Years: Mental Health in Humanitarian Crises

The Early Years: Mental Health in Humanitarian Crises

This policy brief documents what we know, why it matters, and what policymakers can do to support mental health in humanitarian crises.

When parents and their young children suffer from extreme stress, it can have a dramatic impact on their long-term development. This is a huge issue in humanitarian situations around the world, yet just 1% of development assistance for health is spent on mental health.

It is clear that governments and international organisations need to do much more to improve the mental health of children and caregivers in crisis situations. Fortunately, there are a number of tools available to policymakers to implement and scale this support.


We produced this policy brief, together with United for Global Mental Health, as part of a series that compiles all the need-to-know information on the early years.

The Early Years: Policy Briefs

This collection of eight policy briefs explains some of the greatest challenges facing young children around the world.

Learn more