On Wednesday, 21 May 2025, an online webinar in the framework of European Mental Health Week, hosted by GAMIAN-Europe, gathered mental health advocates, experts, and EU policymakers to explore how data can serve as a foundation for rights-based mental health policies. Framed by calls for better access to and use of mental health data, the event showcased practical tools, policy insight, and on-the-ground action.

What was discussed:

• Camille Roux (Mental Health Europe) underlined how mental health must be embedded in EU social rights frameworks. She argued that social protection systems need to be reshaped based on the real needs of communities, and that data can expose the inequalities that policy must address.

• Vladimir Litoshenko (First Line Software) presented on the role of the European Health Data Space (EHDS) in shaping future mental health systems. He advocated for integrating mental health datasets into the EHDS to ensure parity between mental and physical health and improve continuity of care across borders.

• Ahmed El-Salawy (IGLYO) presented on the lack of inclusive data concerning LGBTQI youth mental health. He showed how data gaps contribute to invisibility and inaction, and called for the collection of disaggregated data that reflects diverse lived realities.

• Joana Morais e Castro (Encontrar+se) provided a case study from Portugal, showing how national data and grassroots initiatives can combine to strengthen mental health policy. She illustrated the ongoing stigma and how civil society organisations can use data to push for improved access to services, particularly in under-resourced regions.

The session also featured the launch of two new mental health dashboards by GAMIAN-Europe, designed to track the prevalence of mental health conditions and monitor policy action across the EU. These tools aim to support accountability, transparency, and long-term investment.

A vibrant panel discussion and dashboard launch from Karl Lavò (GAMIAN-Europe) and Elysie Nguyen (GAMIAN-Europe). The webinar also opened and closed with messages from MEP Maria Walsh and MEP Alex Agius Saliba with a clear message: We need timely, inclusive, and actionable data to turn mental health into a true social right.

Key Takeaways:

1. Inconsistent Data = Invisible Needs

Many EU average values for prevalence are missing or inconsistently reported, making regional comparisons difficult and leading to blind spots in policy.
📢 Without regular, standardised, and transparent reporting, mental health remains structurally invisible. We must advocate for harmonised EU-level data collection on mental health indicators.

2. Data as Empowerment, Not Just Measurement

Budget lines, prevalence rates, and stigma levels aren’t just statistics, they reveal where systems are failing people. Dashboards and open data empower citizens, advocates, and policymakers to be informed and demand justice and reform.
📌 If we don’t measure it, we can’t fix it. But if we do, we can make the invisible visible and the ignored accountable.

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