Action Plan 2017-2020

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Message from the Past-President

With the close of 2017-2020 triennium, it is timely to reflect on the objectives we laid out at the beginning of my term as WPA President and what we have been able to achieve in just under three years.

We commenced the term focused on WPA's contribution internationally to the representation, reputation, development and knowledge of psychiatry; the development of operational, project-based work that focuses on critical mental health topics at a global level; and on attracting new investment to support WPA's work, especially through partnerships and other relationships with organisations that share our objectives.

Importantly, we worked closely with people with lived experience and their families, built gender and geographic diversity in our leadership and scientific face, and engaged with international organisations and policy-makers such as the World Health Organization (WHO), World Medical Association (WMA), and World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA).

Thanks to the hard work of our dedicated Executive Committee, Board Representatives, Committees, Council and, of course, many of our members and trusted partners, we have been able to deliver a number of successful outcomes, highlights of which I include below. A more detailed overview of this work can be read here.

Helen Herrman AO, WPA President

In particular, I am pleased that - thanks to open communication channels we have worked hard to create these past three years - we have been able to respond more readily than ever before to the needs of our membership. Our ability to quickly bring together key stakeholders to form the Advisory Committee on Response to Emergencies (ACRE) in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as our capacity to collate an unparalleled library of useful mental health resources is evidence of the strong networks we have fostered.

Going forward I know that new President, Afzal Javed, will continue this legacy of openness and willingness to listen, learn from and share with each other - not only through the continuation of the programs and tools developed in the 2017-2020 triennium - but also through the many exciting initiatives outlined in his 2020-2023 Action Plan.

2017-2020 programs and initiatives

In addition to WPA's overarching goals and the ongoing work of its various components, the 2017-2020 term focused on:

WPA's contribution internationally to the representation, reputation, development and knowledge of psychiatry;
The development of operational, project-based work that focuses on critical mental health topics at a global level; and
Attracting new investment to support WPA's work, especially through partnerships and other relationships with organisations that share its objectives.

These three key objectives were realised through a number of programs and initiatives, some of which are highlighted below, all of which will continue development under the 2021-2023 Action Plan. Click on the links below to read more.