560 Advancing health equity through mental health support for people affected by conflict

Abstract EP2.5, e-Poster Terminal 2, September 5, 2025, 13:05 - 13:30 The international armed conflict in Ukraine has led to the largest displacement of people in Europe since the Second World War, with millions uprooted and exposed to severe mental health risks. In response, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), in partnership with the European Commission, launched one of the most extensive mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) responses in humanitarian history. Over 600,000 MHPSS services were provided to people affected by the conflict in Ukraine with since 2022. This presentation will explore how the initiative, implemented across Europe by 28 National Red Cross Societies, addressed urgent mental health needs through a people-centred approach, focused on overcoming key barriers to quality and timely access to support. Community-based MHPSS formed the backbone of the approach, building a longer-term, sustainable model that strengthens resilience and support structures within communities. People with lived experience contributed invaluable insights that shaped planning and implementation of services, ensuring their relevance and effectiveness. Strong partnerships with host communities promoted social cohesion, supported social connectedness and fostered local-level integration. This session will highlight key outcomes and lessons learned, illustrating how inclusive, community-led approaches can help bridge critical mental health gaps for displaced populations and contribute to stronger, more equitable health systems. Advancing a global commitment to equitable health services that prioritizes the needs of the most vulnerable, the model offers scalable insights for humanitarian, public health, and migration actors working to address the long-term mental health impacts of conflict and displacement by positioning migrants as agents of change and key contributors to more just, resilient health systems.