The COVID-19 pandemic has simultaneously shed light on and exacerbated many of the world’s most persistent problems. One of these is the unfulfilled promise, as enshrined in international law, of the right of refugees and migrants to the highest attainable standard of not only physical health – but also mental health. This public statement looks at the mental health needs of refugees and migrants whilst highlighting the inadequacies of current responses to them. The COVID-19 pandemic is a grave challenge to all of humanity, threatening not only our livelihoods but our very lives. At the same time, it provides us as a global community with an urgent impetus to reshape our societies in order to be more healthy, inclusive and fair for all.
