The Parliament of the Canary Islands hosted this Thursday, World Mental Health Day, the Conference “Work and mental health, a fundamental link”, organized by the Mental Health Federation of the Canary Islands. An act in which the importance of decent employment for mental well-being and the vindication of the fundamental rights of people with mental health problems has been highlighted.
The conference was inaugurated by the president of the Canary Chamber, Astrid Pérez, who pointed out that “on days like today we must recognize the great work that the Mental Health Federation of the Canary Islands has been doing for more than two decades in the defense and vindication of the fundamental rights of people with mental health problems in the islands”. The president stressed that, although it has been possible to eliminate the social stigmatization of those affected, there is still much to go, especially in legislative matters. “We must continue to move forward, we urgently need to have a comprehensive law for mental health”, said Astrid Pérez.
The president of the Mental Health Federation of the Canary Islands, Cristina Acosta, argued during the inauguration that “people with mental health problems face greater difficulties in accessing employment and, when they do, it is often in unhealthy conditions”. “On many occasions, working conditions hinder and prevent the recovery of those affected. It is necessary that employment policies guarantee safe working environment conditions for all people, with decent and quality employment”, said Acosta.
After the institutional opening, a discussion table on work and mental health was held with the participation of the regional Minister of Health, Esther Monzón; the Minister of Social Welfare, Equality, Youth, Childhood and Families, Candelaria Delgado; the Deputy Minister of Tourism and Employment, Isabel León Villalobos, and the Deputy Minister of Education, José Manuel Cabrera Delgado.
To close the event, the representative of the Pro Mental Health Committee of the Canary Islands, Ruth Reyes, read the manifesto of the World Mental Health Day 2024, “Work and mental health, a fundamental link”, in which it is claimed that job offers for people with mental health problems are not limited to repetitive and low-skilled jobs.
During 2023, more than 71,100 people have been treated in mental health services of the Canary Health Service in the Canary Islands, of which 55% are women and 45% are men. Mental disorder accounted for 34.4% of recognized disability situations in the Canary Islands in 2022.
