Everyone, everywhere deserves support: advance global mental health together

• One billion people live with a mental health condition—that’s one in eight.
• Mental health conditions are a leading cause of disability in children and young people worldwide, and half of mental health conditions begin before age 14.
• 8.4 million people are admitted to mental institutions each year and in the worst cases these institutions cause harm—whether that’s through neglect, abuse, violence, or coercion.

Many community organizations working on the front lines do so with limited funding and small teams, and often in the face of significant stigma.

To help change this, A&O Shearman has partnered with United for Global Mental Health (UnitedGMH) to advance its vision of a world where everyone, everywhere has someone to turn to for their mental health. UnitedGMH drives advocacy for systemic change worldwide.

We’re partnering to share strategies, build solidarity, and reduce isolation

In February, a team from the firm joined UnitedGMH’s Global Mental Health Advocacy Forum in the Philippines—the largest gathering of mental health advocates globally, bringing together practitioners, activists, UN agencies, and partners from more than 70+ countries, with participants from 60 additional countries joining virtually.

The team used the forum as an opportunity to listen deeply, understand the scale of the challenges, and explore how A&O Shearman can meaningfully contribute to long-term, systemic change. We wanted to better understand the challenges facing UnitedGMH and the national organizations—Vertentes (Brazil), #MentalHealthPH (Philippines), SameSame (South Africa, Zimbabwe) and InIm (Romania)—we’re partnering with, and explore how A&O Shearman’s people, skills, networks, and capacity to give and raise funds can be mobilized to support global mental health ecosystems.

The forum provided invaluable access to national leaders working in some of the toughest environments for mental health worldwide. UnitedGMH has created a community that shares strategies, reduces isolation, and strengthens collective action.

Six principles to ensure access to mental health support

Conversations throughout the week crystallized six priorities for our team that will guide the next phase of our partnership with UnitedGMH:

1. Policy influence drives impact

UnitedGMH and partners are advancing policy change by engaging with governments and UN agencies—improving the lives of people worldwide.

2. Cross-sector collaboration is critical

Private sector, civil society, and government must work together to build sustainable mental health systems globally.

3. The power of community

UnitedGMH is creating a network that reduces isolation for small organizations and helps them share best practices.

4. Local leadership is essential

National partners are leading change in their communities. Our role is to strengthen this leadership.

5. Youth mental health must be a priority

There is an urgent need for greater investment in children and young people’s mental health—a message reinforced throughout the week.

6. Mental health is shaped by interconnected challenges

Climate change, gender, sexuality, wealth, and ethnicity all influence mental health outcomes—underscoring the importance of inclusive systems that address well-being comprehensively.

How the private sector can support future generations

Kate Cavelle, our global social impact leader, summed up the visit: “One of the most powerful aspects of the week was hearing directly from three of the national partners that we are working with alongside UnitedGMH: Vertentes, #MentalHealthPH, and SameSame. They spoke about their work, the barriers they face, and their vision for change.

They highlighted persistent challenges: limited funding, ongoing stigma, and the need to embed mental health into education, social systems, and development agendas. These messages reinforced why the partnership matters—and how much more must be done.”

As Beto Carvalho from Vertentes shared:

“A&O Shearman’s commitment represents how the private sector must be taking care of future generations. Framing youth mental health as a human rights priority — and supporting concrete advocacy and ecosystem-building efforts — sends a strong global signal that protecting mental wellbeing is essential for justice, sustainable development, and social resilience.”

A stronger, more ambitious partnership

During the meeting, we delivered a pro bono training session to Global Mental Health Action Network leaders—an opportunity to apply legal expertise to a community driving change.

Our pro bono work with UnitedGMH has already helped change policies around the criminalization of suicide, benefiting more than 400 million people worldwide.

We’re now focused on a comprehensive legal study of institutionalization frameworks across 11 jurisdictions to inform UnitedGMH’s work on the deinstitutionalization of mental health cases across the world. Meanwhile, volunteering opportunities—including mentoring for SameSame’s youth advisory board—will continue to grow as the partnership evolves.

The forum captured the potential of this partnership—and will shape how we continue contributing to a healthier future for all.

As Kate summed it up: “They've told us it's the responsibility of those of us with power, resources, and influence to listen, act, and make that change happen. And that responsibility lies with us all.”

What can you do?

To learn more about our partnership with United for Global Mental Health, please visit our Social impact page. 

FAQs

Who is United for Global Mental Health?

It is a global non-profit organization that brings together people with experience of mental health problems and key decision makers to improve care and promote better mental health support for all. It works with UN agencies, donors and governments to do this, and to secure better funding for mental health support worldwide.

What is the Global Mental Health Action Network?

Founded by UnitedGMH, GMHAN is the world’s leading network for global mental health advocacy. Its mission is to expand the world’s capacity to advocate for better mental health. The network includes more than 9,000 members across 170 countries, representing over 4,500 organizations campaigning for—or delivering—better mental health care.

What is A&O Shearman’s global social impact partnership program?

The global social impact partnership is a two-year collaboration with a non-profit organization that can maximize the firm’s support. For UnitedGMH, we aim to raise more than USD1 million, provide significant pro bono and professional advice, and deliver in-kind support.