MIHRE AT THE 16TH BIENNIAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON DRUGS, ALCOHOL AND SOCIETY IN AFRICA!

Milestone Initiative for Human Rights and Empowerment (MIHRE), led by its Executive Director, is proud to be part of the 16th Biennial International Conference on Drugs, Alcohol and Society in Africa, holding on 21–22 October 2026 in Abuja, Nigeria.

With the theme “Substance Use Research and Data Systems in Africa: Advances, Relevance and Challenges,” the conference provides an important platform for knowledge exchange, collaboration, and innovative approaches to addressing substance use challenges across Africa.

Our participation reflects MIHRE’s commitment to advancing community-led, evidence-based, and rights-focused interventions, particularly for women who use and inject drugs and other underserved populations.

We believe that meaningful change happens when community experiences inform policy, research strengthens practice, and stakeholders work together to bridge gaps in healthcare access, harm reduction, sexual and reproductive health, and psychosocial support.

For MIHRE, this is more than participation,it is an opportunity to strengthen partnerships, share experiences, learn from emerging evidence, and contribute to solutions that can improve lives and shape more inclusive health systems.

Together, we can turn knowledge into action, collaboration into impact, and human rights into reality for all.

#MIHRE #CRISAConference2026 #HarmReduction #SubstanceUseResearch #CommunityLedInterventions #HumanRights #PublicHealth #WomenWhoUseDrugs #CollaborationForImpact

World Mental Health Day 2026: MIHRE Reaches 21 Women and Girls with Mental Health and Essential Health Services in Uruan LGA

Uruan, Akwa Ibom State | 10 October 2026

Milestone Initiative for Human Rights and Empowerment (MIHRE), with support from Heartland Alliance Ltd/Gte (HALG) through the ViiV Healthcare Positive Action Project, commemorated World Mental Health Day 2026 by conducting a community-based Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) session for women and girls who use and inject drugs (WWUIDs) in Uruan Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State.

Observed globally on 10 October, World Mental Health Day provides an opportunity to raise awareness of mental health challenges, promote access to appropriate support, and encourage inclusive approaches to mental well-being. The 2026 theme, “Lived Experience Heard, Real Voices, Real Change,” highlights the importance of listening to people with lived experience and ensuring their voices inform meaningful action.

Promoting Mental Health Awareness and Inclusive Care

The community engagement created an opportunity for participants to discuss mental health, psychosocial well-being, and the challenges they may encounter when seeking healthcare. Discussions explored how stigma, stress, substance use, and unsafe drug-use practices can affect mental and physical well-being.

The session emphasized the importance of compassionate, non-judgmental support and accessible healthcare for women and girls who use drugs. It also reinforced the need to address the barriers that can prevent them from seeking timely mental health and other essential health services.

By taking the engagement directly into the community, MIHRE continued its efforts to promote an environment where women and girls can access information, support, and healthcare services with dignity and without discrimination.

Connecting Participants to Essential Health Services

Beyond awareness creation, the activity facilitated access to essential health and psychosocial services tailored to participants’ needs. These included individualized Mental Health and Psychosocial Support, family planning education and services, HIV testing, and pregnancy testing.

This integrated approach recognizes that mental health, sexual and reproductive health, and overall well-being are interconnected. Ensuring that women who use and inject drugs can access these services is an important step towards reducing barriers to care and promoting their health, dignity, and rights.

Activity Results at a Glance

Through this community-based intervention, MIHRE achieved the following results:

• 21 women and girls reached through community engagement and mental health awareness.

• 14 participants accessed HIV Testing Services.

• 8 participants received individualized Mental Health and Psychosocial Support.

• 4 participants accessed family planning services.

• 4 participants received pregnancy testing.

These results demonstrate the importance of bringing essential health information and services closer to underserved communities, particularly women and girls who may experience stigma and barriers to accessing appropriate care.

Advancing Dignity, Rights, and Mental Well-being

MIHRE recognizes mental health as an essential component of overall health and well-being. Women and girls who use and inject drugs may face multiple and overlapping challenges, including stigma, discrimination, social exclusion, and limited access to appropriate healthcare and psychosocial support.

Addressing these challenges requires inclusive, person-centred approaches that respect individual experiences, protect confidentiality, and connect people to the services they need. It also requires sustained collaboration among community-based organizations, healthcare providers, development partners, and other stakeholders.

Through its community engagement and harm reduction initiatives, MIHRE remains committed to promoting the rights and well-being of women and girls who use drugs, strengthening access to essential services, and advocating for healthcare environments that are safe, supportive, and free from stigma.

As we commemorate World Mental Health Day 2026, MIHRE reaffirms the importance of listening to lived experiences, amplifying the voices of underserved communities, and translating those voices into meaningful action.

Every voice deserves to be heard. Every experience deserves respect. Everyone deserves access to compassionate care.

Together with our partners and communities, we will continue working towards a future where mental health support and essential healthcare are accessible to all, without discrimination.

Implemented by: Milestone Initiative for Human Rights and Empowerment (MIHRE)

With support from: Heartland Alliance Ltd/Gte (HALG) through the ViiV Healthcare Positive Action Project.

#WorldMentalHealthDay2026 #RealVoicesRealChange #MIHRE #HALG #ViiVHealthcare #MentalHealthMatters #MHPSS #HarmReduction #WomenWhoUseDrugs #LeaveNoOneBehind

Women’s Mental Health: A Global Concern

Women’s mental health is an important global health and human rights issue. Across different communities and backgrounds, women may experience mental-health challenges influenced by social, economic, reproductive, and interpersonal factors.

Gender-based violence (GBV), pregnancy and motherhood, financial insecurity, discrimination, social expectations, body-image pressures, reproductive health concerns, and limited access to support can all affect women’s emotional and psychological well-being.

These challenges may contribute to stress, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and emotional distress. However, many women continue to experience these challenges silently because of stigma, fear of judgment, discrimination, or limited access to appropriate and affordable mental-health services.

Creating Safe Spaces for Women

Promoting women’s mental health requires more than encouraging women to seek help. It requires creating environments where women feel safe to speak openly about their experiences without fear of blame, shame, or discrimination.

Women deserve to be listened to, believed, respected, and supported. Access to compassionate and confidential mental-health care should be available to every woman, regardless of her social or economic circumstances.

Communities, healthcare providers, families, organizations, and policymakers all have a role to play in addressing the barriers that affect women’s mental health. This includes strengthening access to mental-health services, promoting gender-sensitive psychosocial support, addressing GBV and discrimination, and ensuring that women’s voices and lived experiences are included in decisions that affect their well-being.

Listen. Believe. Support.

Women’s mental health is not a private issue—it is a global health concern that requires collective action.

By listening to women, believing their experiences, challenging stigma, and creating supportive spaces, we can help build communities where every woman can seek support and live with dignity.

Listen to women. Believe their experiences. Support their well-being.

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#WomensMentalHealth #MentalHealthMatters #GlobalMentalHealth #LivedExperienceHeard #RealVoicesRealChange #BreakTheStigmaTogether #ViiVHealthcare #HALG