Chapter 35 - Global health governance, international law, and mental health

Summary

This chapter explores the ways that international law and global health governance strategies impact mental health. Mental-health-related illness and disability remain as prevalent and persistent health conditions worldwide. International health governance as traditionally conceived involved national governments working together directly and through international institutions created by treaties enacted by these national governments to address common health objectives. The trajectory of global health governance suggests a set of interconnected systems that remain in flux. A multifaceted strategy that includes law must be considered to understand and target improvements in global governance of mental health to sufficiently address the myriad systemic problems facing persons with mental disabilities. The chapter suggests three areas conducive to better organizing and building on the potential for global level mental health governance initiatives: augmenting global mental health governance capacity; harmonizing norms; and improving implementation and enforcement of global mental health governance efforts.