Urgent Focus on Mental Health Rights for Youth and Women in Spain
Recent report reveals urgent need for mental health policy reforms to protect youth and women in Spain.
Key Points
- • 41.1% of youth aged 13-18 report mental health issues, with over half not seeking help.
- • Report calls for urgent reforms in mental health services for children and adolescents.
- • Women face unique challenges, with 81% experiencing gender-based violence impacting their mental health.
- • This is the tenth consecutive year of reporting on human rights violations in mental health care.
Spain is facing a significant mental health crisis among its youth, according to the latest annual report from the Confederación SALUD MENTAL ESPAÑA. The report, titled ‘Informe sobre el estado de los Derechos Humanos en Salud Mental, 2024’, highlights that a staggering 41.1% of adolescents aged 13 to 18 report experiencing mental health issues over the past year, but 51.4% of these individuals did not seek help. This lack of action is interpreted partly as a result of distrust in the support systems provided by schools and social services.
The report calls for urgent reforms, emphasizing the need to strengthen mental health programs and establish specialized care networks tailored for children and adolescents. One of the key recommendations is to aim for a policy that ensures “zero restraints” in treatment, intending to provide supportive care without resorting to coercive methods.
Women, too, are highlighted as facing acute challenges within the mental health framework, primarily due to work-related stress and disproportionate domestic responsibilities. Alarmingly, over 81% of women interviewed in a compendium study reported experiencing gender-based violence, further exacerbating their mental health struggles, especially in rural settings.
The ongoing issues underscore a severe violation of fundamental human rights, particularly concerning the young and vulnerable populations in Spain. Nel González Zapico, president of SALUD MENTAL ESPAÑA, pointed out that this year marks the organization’s tenth annual report documenting such rights violations and care deficiencies in mental health. Legal advisor Irene Muñoz Escandell stressed the necessity for structural changes, connecting many of the mental health challenges faced by these groups to broader social and political frameworks. This report advocates for a paradigm shift in public policy to prioritize emotional well-being, calling for an immediate enhancement of mental health services in primary care and the creation of educational programs aimed at destigmatizing mental health issues.
As Spain grapples with these challenges, there is an evident urgency for policy reforms that prioritize mental health care and safeguard the rights of its most vulnerable citizens, particularly children and women.