Swedish Network for Global Mental Health
The Swedish Network for Global Mental Health is an independent, non-profit and interdisciplinary association, based in Stockholm but active nationally. The association aims to understand and strengthen Sweden’s role and capacity to work for improved global mental health with a focus on particularly vulnerable groups. Membership is open to anyone interested in the field. The association is run in accordance with our statutes.
The objectives of the association are to:
- Integrate efforts to improve mental health with the transition to a socially sustainable society.
- Act as an interdisciplinary platform and meeting place for professionals and students in academic, clinical and humanitarian fields with an interest and commitment to global mental health.
- Make mental health research and knowledge accessible to a wider public and provide a representative picture of the global prevalence of mental illness.
- Work to reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness, and highlight the human rights violations committed globally against individuals suffering from mental illness.
- Evaluate and understand Sweden’s role and capacity to promote improved global mental health, and work to increase it.
The association works by regularly
- Organizing seminars and lectures.
- Providing platforms for communication to professionals and other interested parties.
- Organizing meetings for the exchange of knowledge and experience within academia and between different sectors of society.
- Communicate news and research results through social media.
The first initiatives to form the network were taken in the spring of 2020, when a workshop with about twenty participants was held at Karolinska Institutet with the aim of collecting ideas and suggestions about what an association could look like. The network formally became an association in connection with a constituent annual meeting in April 2021.
Annual meeting 2024
On April 13th, the Swedish Network for Global Mental Health will hold its annual meeting. The meeting will be held in Stockholm, with an option to participate online through Zoom.
Date: April 13th 2024.
Time: 13.00-15.00.
Venue: Åsögatan 103, Stockholm, or over Zoom using this link.
Members who wish to submit motions can send these to info@swegmh.org.
The network’s board has proposed new bylaws, which are attached in Swedish. These involve only minor changes and clarify a number of unclear paragraphs. Voting on the new statutes will take place at the annual meeting.
During the meeting, the board for the operational year 2024/2025 will be elected. The nomination committee consists of Leo Ziegel and Erica Mattelin. If you are interested in being a candidate for the board, you are welcome to contact Leo at leo.ziegel@ki.se. If you have any questions about what the board work entails, you can send an email to info@swegmh.org.
Governing Board for the year 2023/2024
Cecilia Abrahamsson, child rights and development expert
Chairperson
Kristofer Vernmark, psychologist, PhD
Vice Chairperson
Katalin Vincze, public health scientist and PhD student
Secretary
Per Kåks, medical doctor and PhD student
Treasurer
Ida Mälarstig, psychologist and PhD student
Member
Mamduh Halawa, psychologist
Member
Greta Wester, psychologist and PhD student
Member
Hans-Erik Eriksson, psychologist
Member
Javier Charry, psychologist
Alternate member
Zena Awad, psychologist and MHPSS expert
Alternate member