July 2026

Table of Contents

SPECIAL COMMEMORATIVE DAY FOCUS

Special Focus: Nelson Mandela International Day

Nelson Mandela International Day. July 18. “It is easy to break down and destroy. The heroes are those who make peace and build.“– Nelson Mandela. Observed annually on 18 July, Nelson Mandela International Day recognizes Nelson Mandela’s contribution to the promotion of peace, reconciliation, human rights, social justice, and democracy. Established by the United Nations in 2009, the observance encourages individuals and communities to devote 67 minutes of service in honor of the 67 years Mandela dedicated to public service. The United Nations recognizes Mandela’s contributions to conflict resolution, race relations, the protection of human rights, gender equality, and the rights of children and other vulnerable groups. The annual observance serves as a reminder of the continuing importance of dignity, equality, social justice, and collective action.

Nelson Mandela Month 2026. 1–31 July 2026. The South African government has designated the 2026 Nelson Mandela Month observance under the theme, “It’s still in our hands to combat poverty and inequity.” Mandela, in addressing poverty, suffering, and deprivation, stated: “It is in your hands to make our world a better one for all, especially the poor, vulnerable and marginalised.” The 2026 observance encourages continued efforts to address poverty and inequality and promotes service and participation within communities.

Mandela’s Fight for Justice and Collective Healing, Trauma and Stress Counselling, 18 July, 2025. This resource discusses Nelson Mandela’s imprisonment, South Africa’s transition from Apartheid, and the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Mandela’s leadership is discussed in relation to forgiveness, dialogue, reconciliation, and resilience. The resource also addresses the psychological effects of Apartheid, including fear, violence, and intergenerational trauma. It refers to research on mental health, resilience, restorative justice, and reconciliation and includes several recent publications as related resources.

Relevant related publications: 

The following publications address themes of resilience, reconciliation, restorative justice, and recovery that appear throughout discussions of Nelson Mandela’s life and legacy. 

Defining Resilience Following a Potentially Traumatic Event in Psychological Research: A Delphi Study. Delaney, R., Robinson, M., Hanna, D., Armour, C., et al. Adversity and Resilience Science, 2026. An international expert consensus study seeking clearer definitions of resilience following adversity and potentially traumatic events. The authors describe resilience as a dynamic and multifactorial process involving internal and external factors that support adaptation following trauma. Particularly relevant for discussions of imprisonment, oppression, and recovery.

A New Unifying Definition of Resilience Adapted to the Developmental Psychopathology of Major Psychiatric Disorders. Nadifi, Y., et al. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 2026. Proposes a multidimensional definition of resilience incorporating adversity, development, and protective mechanisms. The authors discuss resilience as a dynamic process that develops across the lifespan.

Towards Mechanism-Focused and Scalable Resilience Interventions. Schäfer, S. K., Stoffers-Winterling, J., & Lieb, K. Nature Reviews Psychology, 2026. A review article examining resilience interventions and the mechanisms that support resilience during adversity and stress. The authors discuss approaches for developing and implementing resilience interventions in real-world settings.

Strengthening Professional Resilience in Social Work Practice: An Empowerment Approach. Sekgobela, T. Journal of Human Rights and Social Work, 2026. Using qualitative interviews with social workers, this study examines empowerment, organizational support, professional identity, and resilience in social work practice. The findings address resilience, workplace conditions, empowerment, and human rights considerations.

Mapping the Mind Behind Retributive and Restorative Justice Through Psychological Mediation and Moderation. Ciofu, V., Marian, A. L., Curelaru, M., et al. Current Psychology, 2026. This study investigates psychological factors associated with restorative and retributive justice orientations. The findings examine empathy, forgiveness, self-compassion, and justice preferences. The discussion of restorative justice connects with broader conversations concerning reconciliation and repair.

Rethinking Narrative Intervention: The Potential Role of Alternative Narratives in Interethnic Reconciliation. Rafferty, R., & Kappmeier, M. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 2026. Using survey data from Northern Ireland, this study examines relationships between conflict narratives, intergroup trust, and engagement in reconciliation activities. The findings suggest that alternative narratives may support trust-building and participation in reconciliation efforts.

UN COMMEMORATIVE DAYS – July

• July 18 – Nelson Mandela International Day 

• July 20 – World Day Against Trafficking in Persons

GNPHR NEWS AND EVENTS

LinkedIn

The GNPHR Writing Project

*NEW* The GNPHR invites your involvement at the intersection of psychology and human rights. We are soliciting short, pithy pieces that will raise issues, encourage reflection, and suggest new ideas and actions on how psychology matters to human rights and how human rights matter to psychology. Would you like to join the writing project? Read the contributor guidelines, select a topic, and send your proposed topic or any questions to GNPHR at writing@humanrightspsychology.org

Webinars 

Webinar Library – Human Rights Education: https://humanrightspsychology.org/webinars/

July 15, 2026 – 10 am EDT / 3 pm UK time /4 pm CEST

The Prevalence of Mental Health Symptoms and Disorders in Asylum Seekers and Refugees Seeking Sanctuary in the United Kingdom: A Systematic Review – Shakiba Moghadam, PhD

Register here:

Or use this registration link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_GGhBvD_pS9CTgRomlu4UJw#/registration

Previous Webinar Resource

Modern-Day Trafficking of Young Children (< 13): Prevalence, Severity, Familial Offenders, Production of Child Abuse Materials, and Organized Crime Networks. E. Lacter. End Ritual Abuse. 2026. This webinar-related resource addresses child exploitation, familial offenders, the production of child abuse materials, and organized criminal networks. The resource is related to topics discussed during Dr. Ellen Lacter’s recent ICP/GNPHR webinar on child trafficking and exploitation.

GNPHR Steering Committee Members in Action

Statement, at the invitation of the President of the IUPsyS on the occasion of the International Day of Science Diplomacy for Peace, by Wilson Lopez Lopez, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Colombia. The message reminds us that, as psychologists, we have a shared responsibility to promote human rights, foster dialogue, and contribute to the construction of a more peaceful, just, and inclusive societies. At a time when our world faces complex social challenges, psychology has an important role to play in advancing understanding, cooperation, and peace.

Emma Bellamy, Podcasts presenting stories of Australia-based immigrants and refugees, along with insights from migration experts and professionals.

Four questions about our predicament: Two psychologists write about the CO2 Newsletter, Vol. 2, No. 1. A. Mitchell and T. Wainwright. All Our Yesterdays, 2026. The first jointly written commentary on an issue of the CO2 Newsletter, Annie Mitchell and Tony Wainwright, both Chartered Psychologists, reflect on four questions concerning climate change, public engagement, activism, and social change. They write:“We believe, along with grass roots organisations like Hope Not Hate, and Common Ground, that we humans (and indeed beings beyond human) have much more in common than that which divides us. We need to have the conversations, share the evidence, and generate the shared social narratives that prove it.”The authors conclude by reflecting on the breakdown of international consensus and the urgent need for what they describe as a “new we order.” https://globaljusticeproject.wid.world/global-justice-report/

General

Psychological ethical codes of conduct and human rights: A comparative analysis and recommendations for improvement. R. Brown, I. D. Ebuenyi, P. Geiser, and M. MacLachlan. Ethical Human Psychology and Psychiatry, 2026. Ethical standards are central to psychologists’ activities and core to the profession’s codes of ethical conduct. Intrinsic to ethics is the assumption that people are endowed with basic human rights. However, the incorporation of human rights principles in the codes of professional psychological organizations is unclear. This study investigated the codes of ethics of seven professional psychological organizations for the implementation of human rights principles through a comparative concept analysis. Most codes demonstrated some level of adoption of human rights principles, yet with vague terminology and few references to human rights documents, conventions, and treaties. Significant improvements are needed so that psychological codes of ethics foster, promote, and protect the human rights of psychologists themselves, as well as the people they serve.  

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Ethical implications of artificial intelligence on human rights and privacy. E. Otajonov. International Academic Journal of Social Sciences, 2026. This article examines the human rights and privacy implications of artificial intelligence as its use expands across healthcare, finance, and governance. The author discusses concerns related to algorithmic bias, mass surveillance, lack of transparency in AI decision-making, and the use of data to infer personal characteristics. The analysis also considers current regulatory developments, including the European Union AI Act, and finds that limited transparency in algorithmic systems may contribute to the marginalization of vulnerable groups.

Rethinking personhood and agency: how AI challenges human-centered concepts. L. Gao and G. F. N. Mvondo. Frontiers in Psychology, 2026. As artificial intelligence systems increasingly display behaviors that people may interpret as intentional or emotional, questions arise about how humans perceive and relate to these technologies. This article examines how people attribute agency and personhood to AI systems, the personal and social consequences of these perceptions, and the implications for psychology as a discipline. The authors propose a framework for understanding human-AI interactions and argue that psychology can contribute to the study of how concepts of agency and personhood shape perceptions of control and responsibility regarding AI systems.

Children, Youth, Families

Childhood verbal abuse by adults: young people speaking up. L. Smith, P. Singh, P. Crump, P. Bilderbeck, E. Adonteng, and P. Fonagy. The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, 2026. For generations, harsh or humiliating language directed at children has been minimised as “just words”, framed as discipline, or justified as character-building. Many of us grew up in the UK learning, implicitly and explicitly, that we should not take words seriously, even when they were used to frighten, shame, or belittle. However, available evidence suggests that childhood verbal abuse is among the most frequently reported forms of child maltreatment and might be increasing. In the UK, recent quantitative research from 2023 suggested that up to 41% of 1166 children surveyed reported verbal abuse from adults; over half were exposed weekly and around one in ten daily. Similar patterns are seen internationally, according to a systematic review, indicating a global public health concern rather than isolated individual or cultural failings.

“It Touched me Deeply”: Evaluation of Theatrical Performance and the Post-Performance Dialogue to Reduce Prejudice toward LGB Adolescents. H. Felten, A. Vijlbrief, R. Broekroelofs, and J. de Wit. Journal of Homosexuality, 2026. Discrimination against LGBTIQA+ adolescents in schools is a global issue. Perspective-taking and empathy are widely recognized as effective mechanisms for reducing prejudice and discrimination. Theater plays have the potential to enhance audience members’ empathy for marginalized groups represented in the play. This study examines the impact of a theatrical performance and the post-performance dialogue on reducing prejudice among students at secondary vocational education toward LGB people. The theatrical performance depicted the lives of several gay individuals, aiming to foster empathy. A qualitative non-participant observation of student reactions was conducted across 16 observations at 11 schools in the Netherlands. Findings suggest that both perspective-taking and empathy are elicited by the theater performance itself, particularly through its emotionally charged scenes and the moderator’s questions. However, some unexpected findings revealed that several critical conditions must be met to avoid adverse effects.

Climate Justice

Ethics and action pathways for psychologists in a time of climate crisis. C. Houlding, B. M. Barnett, S. Colton, E. Houlding, F. Schmidt, and B. K. Thege. Frontiers in Psychology, 2026. The climate crisis is a public and mental health emergency and amplified risk for those who are already vulnerable with significant implications for population-level quality of life and human rights. The relevance and urgency of the climate crisis is reflected in numerous “calls to action” from psychologists, health professionals, scientists, academics, and others to prioritize professional engagement with this issue. Such engagement is highly consistent with professional ethical codes and psychologists are uniquely positioned to contribute to mitigation and adaptation efforts due to their content expertise, professional training, research practice and networks affording them positions of influence. The present paper highlights three broad issues. First, it positions psychologists’ involvement as an ethical and professional responsibility. The ethics codes and position papers of a number of psychology organizations are reviewed. Second, the paper discusses potential contributions of psychological science to collective and individual action as well as expertise in different areas of practice (clinical, educational, health, organizational, community, conservation, research). Last, practical ways in which any psychologist (student or qualified) in various roles (e.g., clinician, researcher, employee), in different arenas (work, community), utilizing different strategies (e.g., individual and collective advocacy/action) are identified. The paper emphasizes the importance of collective action to enact systems change. We argue that across their numerous roles and subdisciplines, psychologists not just can but should support necessary mitigation and adaptation efforts, empowering themselves and colleagues to mobilize and address the most pressing and impactful societal issue of our time.

(Not) all in this together? Viewing climate change as a question of (in)justice rather than common fate increases collective action. L. Hartwich, H. R. Radke, and N. Tausch. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 2026. Across four studies involving activists and general population samples in Germany, Malaysia, and the United Kingdom, this study examined how different understandings of climate change relate to participation in climate action. Climate change was conceptualized either as a question of climate injustice, emphasizing unequal impacts across individuals and groups, or as a common fate affecting humanity as a whole. The findings indicate that perceptions of climate injustice at individual, group, and systemic levels were associated with greater collective action intentions, whereas common fate perceptions showed limited or negative associations with climate action.

Inclusive science brings the best talent to ecology and sustainability. Martin A. Nuñez, Academia Environmental Sciences and Sustainability, 3(2), 2026. Environmental crises are too complex and urgent to be addressed by a narrow segment of humanity. Ecology and sustainability sciences therefore require institutions that identify, recruit, support, and retain talent by removing barriers across the scientific pathway. Drawing on contributions to this Special Issue, this editorial synthesizes evidence that barriers to inclusion operate across the full scientific pathway, from undergraduate training, fieldwork, mentoring, and publication to hiring, evaluation, policy participation, and conservation governance. These barriers are not isolated failures but linked institutional structures that do not always select the best talent. It also highlights practical routes toward better science, including stronger mentoring, safer and more accessible field experiences, better evaluation systems, meaningful community participation, and intentional outreach to ensure that qualified candidates are aware of opportunities. Inclusive science is therefore not peripheral to excellence; it is a condition for producing more creative, rigorous, and relevant ecology and sustainability research.

Decolonization / Indigenization

Decolonising implementation science: Southeast Asian perspectives. E. J. Ong and K. J. M. Cruz. The Lancet Global Health, 2026. Christopher G Kemp and colleagues offer seven principles for decolonising implementation science grounded in Indigenous leadership from the USA, Aotearoa New Zealand, and Australia. Writing from southeast Asia, we welcome their discussion on sovereignty, relational accountability, and community-defined evidence. However, we are compelled to raise a concern—treating one colonial configuration as a universal template risks reinstating the epistemic hierarchies decolonisation seeks to dismantle. The principles of Kemp and colleagues are situated within settler colonial contexts shaped by what Wolfe terms as the “logic of elimination” wherein colonisers replaced Indigenous populations and established permanent sovereignty over Indigenous lands. This history generated specific institutional structures such as tribal governance bodies, legally recognised sovereignty, and tribal institutional review boards that make Kemp and colleagues’ first principle of sovereignty operationalizable through formal legal mechanisms. These structures are not incidental to Kemp and colleagues’ principals—they are its preconditions. Southeast Asia was colonised differently. British, Dutch, and French powers pursued extraction and political domination without mass settler replacement. Independence restored governance to majority autochthonous ethnic groups now governing multi-ethnic postcolonial states. Indigenous and ethnic minority communities such as Karen, Hmong, Orang Asli, and Lumad navigate marginalisation through ethnic hierarchies within postcolonial nation states, shaped by ethnic nationalism and development ideology rather than settler replacement. As Chakrabarty argues, European concepts, such as sovereignty and rights, function differently in non-European political formations.

Displaced/ Migrants/ Refugees/ Stateless

Collective and Transgenerational Trauma in Psychotherapeutic Treatment: Implications for Refugee and Post-Conflict Contexts. Kizilhan, J., Ag, Z., et al., Medical Research Archives. 2026. Background: Refugees and populations affected by war, genocide, and forced displacement are exposed not only to individual traumatic events but also to collective and transgenerational forms of trauma. While psychotherapeutic research and practice have traditionally focused on individual trauma-related disorders, growing evidence highlights the relevance of historical, collective, and intergenerational processes in shaping mental health outcomes in post-conflict affected populations.  Objectives: This review aims to synthesize and critically integrate current evidence on collective and transgenerational trauma and to discuss their implications for psychotherapeutic treatment in refugee and post-conflict populations. This article is based on a narrative and integrative review of the literature, drawing on clinical, psychosocial, and public mental health perspectives as well as key theoretical models and empirical findings in the field. Findings: Collective and transgenerational trauma operates through complex interactions between psychosocial, familial, sociocultural, and structural mechanisms. In refugee populations, ongoing post-migration stressors, discrimination, and social marginalization may reactivate historical trauma and contribute to chronic psychological distress. Trauma-related distress is best understood as a multilevel and temporally extended process shaped by the interaction of individual, collective, and structural factors. While trauma-focused psychotherapies remain central to treatment, approaches focusing exclusively on individual symptom reduction may not fully address the broader collective and contextual dimensions of trauma.  Conclusions: Effective psychotherapeutic care for refugees and post-conflict populations requires integrative approaches that combine evidence-based trauma-focused therapies with attention to collective histories, cultural meaning systems, and community-based support structures. Such approaches are essential for addressing the long-term psychological consequences of collective violence and displacement and have important implications for clinical practice, mental health service planning, and public mental health strategies in European healthcare systems.

Mental Health for Refugees. Editorial, The Lancet Global Health (14,6), Open Access, June 2026.  This editorial discusses the mental health needs of refugees in the context of increasing global displacement, conflict, persecution, and forced migration. Refugees are identified as being at elevated risk for depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder, while access to care is often limited by under-resourced health systems, language barriers, stigma, discrimination, and legal insecurity. The editorial reviews stepped-care approaches to refugee mental health that begin with low-intensity interventions and provide more intensive services as needed. It also discusses the effects of housing insecurity, financial instability, exclusion, and barriers to health, education, and social participation. Particular attention is given to refugees experiencing multiple and intersecting vulnerabilities, including unaccompanied young refugees, women, older adults, and individuals living with disabilities.

Education

Psychological and ethical implications of integrating artificial intelligence into educational curricula: a systematic literature review. L. M. Alshamrani. Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 2026. This systematic literature review examines psychological and ethical considerations related to the integration of artificial intelligence into educational curricula. Drawing on nine studies published between 2015 and 2025, the review found reported psychological benefits including increased motivation, engagement, and reduced anxiety, while also identifying concerns related to digital anxiety and overreliance on technology. The review further examines ethical issues involving privacy, fairness, transparency, accountability, data protection, and potential bias in AI systems used in educational settings.

Inclusion, Exclusion, Racism

Ethnic–racial discrimination, peer support, and internalizing problems: A two-wave daily diary study of Asian university students in Canada from late adolescence to young adulthood. Q. Huang, Y. Wang, and Y. Zheng. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 2026. Using two waves of daily diary data from 165 Asian university students in Canada, this study examined associations between daily experiences of ethnic-racial discrimination and internalizing problems during the first and third years of university. Daily discrimination was associated with increased internalizing problems during the first year, while peer cultural socialization and preparation for bias buffered these effects. The findings identify the first year of university as a particularly vulnerable period for ethnic-racial minority students and suggest that peer cultural socialization and preparation for bias may serve as protective factors during this transition.

Psychological pathways linking discrimination to alcohol and marijuana use among LGB young adults during the 2024 presidential election. Y. W. Park and C. B. Fisher. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 2026. Using data from 442 LGB young adults in the United States, this study examined associations between LGBT discrimination and alcohol and marijuana use during the 2024 presidential election. The findings suggest that discrimination was indirectly associated with alcohol use through sexual orientation rumination and interpersonal political tension, and with marijuana use through hopelessness and interpersonal political tension. Several of these associations were stronger among participants who perceived the political climate as more hostile toward LGBT people.

Coping with racism: Qualitative profiles of adolescents’ responses to racial-ethnic discrimination. V. V. Salcido, F. M. Lobo, H. Wang, K. J. Lee, and colleagues. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 2026. Drawing on interviews with 33 African American, Latinx, and Asian American high school students in the southeastern United States, this study examined how adolescents respond to racial-ethnic discrimination across interpersonal, vicarious, and online contexts. Using ideal-type analysis, the researchers identified four coping profiles: Move-Oners, who relied primarily on ignoring and minimizing discrimination; Shift-and-Persisters, who emphasized cognitive reframing and future-oriented thinking; Mildly Engaged Copers, who combined selective confrontation with more passive responses; and Flexible Advocates, who more frequently confronted discrimination and engaged in advocacy. The findings illustrate the diversity of adolescents’ responses to racial-ethnic discrimination and the ways multiple coping strategies may co-occur.

Critical Consciousness and Emotional Responses to Racism: A Latent Profile Analysis and Associations With Socioemotional Wellbeing Among White Dutch Youth. Ymke de Bruijn and Miriam Schwarzenthal, SSEA, Open access, June 10, 2026. To advance our knowledge on White youth’s anti-racism, this preregistered study applies a person-centred approach to identify White Dutch emerging adults’ profiles of critical consciousness (critical reflection, motivation and action) and emotional responses to racism (White empathy, guilt, and fear). Additionally, relations between profile membership and subjective wellbeing were examined. Based on data from 338 White Dutch emerging adults (17–21 years old, M = 19.44, SD = 1.28, 73% female, 20% male, 4% non-binary), three latent profiles were identified: “uncritical and insensitive”, “average”, and “anti-racist”. Youth in the “anti-racist” profile tended to feel less positive about the future than those in the “average” profile, but no differences between profiles were found for life satisfaction and future negative emotions. These results highlight the distinct ways in which critical consciousness dimensions co-occur with different emotional responses to racism, and call for further research into the interrelatedness of critical consciousness and emotional processes.

Labor and Organizations

ILO Disability inclusion strategy (2024-2027). International Labour Organization. 2024.The International Labour Organization (ILO) Disability Inclusion Strategy 2024–2027 establishes indicators and targets for disability inclusion across the organization and aligns with the United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy (UNDIS) accountability framework. The strategy addresses disability inclusion in employment, accessibility, communication, procurement, programmes, and organizational operations and provides a framework for implementing disability inclusion throughout the ILO. 

ILO and Cuba Strengthen Support for Persons with Disabilities in Zambia. ILO Disability and Work, March 2026. This news item reports on discussions between the International Labour Organization and the Government of Cuba concerning support for persons with disabilities in Zambia. The discussions addressed cooperation in vocational rehabilitation, technical exchanges, and support for Zambia’s National Vocational and Rehabilitation Centre, with the aim of improving training opportunities, social inclusion, and access to services for persons with disabilities.

LGBTQI+, Gender Rights

It’s Haram, but Who Am I to Judge? Exploring and Unpacking Muslims’ Religious Perspectives Toward Homosexuality. Samira Azabar, Nella Geurts & Niels Spierings. Journal of Homosexuality. 2026. Across Europe, Muslims are generally portrayed as opposing homosexuality; however, recent studies have shown that the relationship between Muslims and homosexuality is more complex. In this study, we try to further understand how Islamic religiosity shapes Dutch Muslims’ (multilayered) perspectives on sexual orientation (and, connectedly, sexuality and gender identity) in the Netherlands, while taking an intersectional perspective particularly regarding people’s gender, generation, parenthood, and professional role. Applying this approach, the study endeavors to provide a nuanced and detailed understanding of how Muslims follow and/or negotiate religious interpretations, discourses, and beliefs regarding homosexuality, and which sources they draw from. Drawing on 33 in-depth interviews with Moroccan and Turkish Dutch Muslims in a racialized context, we find that (conflicting) religious interpretations, respect for one`s free choice, and Islamophobia play an important role in Muslims’ perspectives on homosexuality, in terms of both challenging and reconciling societal expectations and religious teachings.

Mental Health and Human Rights

Resilience and well-being as positive determinants of mental health in Israel amid challenges. R. Awad, A. Zamir, and L. Ayalon. Academia Mental Health and Well-Being, 2026. The State of Israel, with its unique social fabric, provides a distinctive context for examining resilience and well-being as positive indicators of mental health. Although a growing body of research has addressed these issues, existing knowledge remains fragmented and lacks an integrative, multilevel synthesis. This narrative review synthesizes empirical research conducted in Israel since 2000 on resilience and well-being in the contexts of war and armed conflict, immigration waves, and the COVID-19 pandemic. The review is guided by a multidimensional analytical framework comprising two axes. The first examines resilience and well-being at the macro, meso, and micro levels, emphasizing societal-, institutional-, community-, and individual-level factors that potentially enhance or maintain resilience and well-being in the face of these challenges. The second compares findings across population groups, including ethnic groups, age cohorts, essential workers, and other vulnerable populations in Israeli society. The findings indicate that resilience and well-being vary across the individual, community, and societal levels and across different societal challenges, reflecting the interaction of personal, relational, and structural factors under prolonged stress. Overall, resilience and well-being emerge as key positive dimensions of mental health, highlighting the need for context-sensitive and multilevel approaches to strengthen adaptive functioning during challenging times.

Mental health laws ignore traditional care in Africa: insights from 5 countries. D. O. Aluh. The Conversation. 2026. This article examines how mental health legislation in five African countries addresses, or fails to address, the role of traditional and faith-based healers. Although many people seek support through these providers, legal frameworks often focus exclusively on formal mental health systems. The article explores the challenges of balancing cultural practices, access to care, and human rights protections in the development of mental health policy.

Psychology as a scientific discipline: understanding humann behavior, mental health, and legal contexts. A. Mishra and S. Mishra. International Journal on Science and Technology, 2026. Psychology, the scientific analysis of behavior and cognition, is critical not only for understanding human behavior and mental processes but also for informing other disciplines like education, medicine, and the law. This academic paper examines psychology as a dynamic field of study that uses empirical research methods and various theoretical frameworks, such as cognitive, behavioral, biological, psychoanalytic, and humanistic psychology. The paper also discusses important sub-disciplines of clinical, social, cognitive and developmental psychology, and how they explain human behavior in various settings. Particularly, the paper underscores the increasing role of psychology in criminal justice and law, where mental health, criminal responsibility, competence to stand trial, trauma-informed insights, the reliability of eyewitness memories, and interrogation techniques play a critical role in legal decision-making. The paper also explores the role of psychological knowledge in rehabilitation, risk prediction and ethical judgement in policing and prisons. Through its fusion of psychology and law, the paper illustrates how insights into mental health and behavior are crucial for achieving more equitable justice, increased well-being, and humane societal practices. In all, the research considers psychology as a scientific and applied field with growing interdisciplinary applications.

Dignity in mental health care across Africa: a narrative review. E. O. Quao, E. M. Appiah, and C. C. Mate-Kole. Academia Mental Health and Well-Being, 2026. This narrative review examines dignity in mental health care across African contexts through literature published between 2010 and 2025. Five key domains emerged: structural and systemic barriers, including underfunding, workforce shortages, and weak governance; stigma, cultural beliefs, and social exclusion; human rights concerns such as coercion, neglect, and inadequate safeguards; policy and legislative gaps in the implementation of mental health laws; and emerging innovations including task-shifting, digital platforms, school-based programmes, and collaboration with traditional and faith-based healers. The review highlights the importance of autonomy, cultural identity, meaningful involvement in care decisions, and culturally responsive approaches to mental health service delivery.

Glimmers of Hope in Times of War. The Lancet Psychiatry, Editorial, 13(7), July 2026. This editorial discusses the growing mental health needs of populations affected by armed conflict and forced displacement and reviews approaches to expanding access to care in resource-constrained settings. The editorial highlights evidence supporting task-shifting approaches, including the delivery of mental health interventions by non-specialist providers, and discusses psychological interventions for people experiencing co-occurring post-traumatic stress disorder and psychosis. The authors also address the effects of funding reductions and emphasize the importance of social, political, and health system responses for populations affected by war and displacement.

Peace, Violence and War 

De Gruyter Handbook of the Psychology of Terrorism. C. R. McCauley, S. Moskalenko, and G. S. Ligon. De Gruyter, 2026. This handbook provides an overview of research on the psychology of radicalization, terrorism, and responses to terrorism, including policy implications. Contributors examine psychological theories of terrorist behavior, risk and protective factors, the influence of leadership and social environments, and the role of emotions in radicalization and terrorism. The volume also examines approaches to assessing the potential for terrorist violence and reviews deradicalization programs and the psychological tools they employ.

Women

Lesbian, bisexual and queer women continue to face distinct challenges globally: UN expert. Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. 2026, June 18. In a report presented to the Human Rights Council, the UN Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity examines the barriers faced by lesbian, bisexual, and queer women worldwide. The report highlights how discrimination, gendered expectations, workplace exclusion, restricted access to services, and violence rooted in patriarchal norms can limit autonomy, participation in public life, and the exercise of fundamental rights. It also identifies gaps in official data collection that contribute to the invisibility of lesbian, bisexual, and queer women in public policy and calls for legal protections, non-discriminatory access to services, and greater support for human rights defenders.  

UN expert calls for urgent action to end violence against mothers worldwide Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), 2026. In a report to the Human Rights Council, the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls examines violence experienced by mothers, including economic violence, obstetric and reproductive violence, physical and sexual abuse, and psychological harm. The report identifies root causes including the devaluation of motherhood, intersectional discrimination, harmful social norms, economic marginalization, and poverty. It also highlights groups of mothers facing heightened risks, including indigenous, migrant, refugee, stateless, adolescent, older, single, lesbian, incarcerated, and disabled mothers. The Special Rapporteur calls for legal recognition of mothers as a distinct category of rights-holders and recommends measures addressing maternal healthcare, maternity protections, child support, and accountability for violations of mothers’ rights in conflict settings.

OPPORTUNITIES
Resources/Publications/Events

Resources

The Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Network. MHPSS.net is a global online network and resource platform dedicated to mental health and psychosocial support in humanitarian and development settings. The platform provides access to guidelines, training materials, webinars, emergency toolkits, communities of practice, and professional resources for practitioners, researchers, and policymakers working in MHPSS. The network supports knowledge exchange and collaboration among members from more than 100 countries.

Publications

Human rights and wrongs in psychology and psychiatry. M. MacLachlan, I. Ebuenyi, and B. Kelly. Oxford University Press, 2026. This book explores the complex ethical and human rights challenges faced by professionals working in psychology, psychiatry, disability, health, and social care settings. Through interdisciplinary and international perspectives, it examines situations in which personal values, professional ethics, legal obligations, organizational policies, and societal expectations may conflict. The authors encourage practitioners to reflect on how their own experiences, cultural backgrounds, and professional roles shape perceptions of right and wrong, while offering a framework to support ethical decision-making in situations where there may be no clear or straightforward answer.

Listening to Dementia: Advocating for Dignity and Autonomy. E. K. Abel. NYU Press, 2026. Drawing on the memoirs of twelve people living with dementia who became advocates on their own behalf, this book examines the lived experiences of dementia and perspectives on care. Topics include stigma and discrimination, differences between the views of carers and those of people living with dementia, advocacy and self-representation, and reasons some individuals seek to end their lives before the final stages.

Transformative Engaged Scholarship in Migration: Toward a Co-creative, Caring, and Reflexive Migration Studies. Ghorashi, H., Fiorito, T., Mbasalaki, P. K., & Ponzoni, E. Springer, 2026.This open access book centers the everyday experiences of forced and undocumented migrants in the Global North and Global South – specifically, the Netherlands, USA, and South Africa – through the prisms of engaged scholarship and co-creation as well as through transformative research processes within the field of migration studies. It goes beyond general definitions of engaged scholarship to describe how academics/researchers realized co-creation through meaningful collaboration with forced migrants in the three countries, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The book teases out contextual differences between the countries while connecting to broader debates on forced migration, ethics of care, complexities of engaged scholarship, and community networks and well-being as well as the politics of knowledge production on forced migration and reflexive migration studies. With its range of empirical work, this book is a great resource for students at all levels, academics in migration and refugee studies, policy makers in the three countries, and members of forced migrant communities. 

The Future Is Peace: A Shared Journey Across the Holy Land. Aziz Abu Sarah and Maoz Inon. Random House, 2026. This book follows Palestinian peace activist Aziz Abu Sarah and Israeli peace activist Maoz Inon as they travel across Israel and the West Bank while reflecting on personal loss, competing historical narratives, and experiences of conflict. Both authors lost family members to the violence and discuss dialogue, coexistence, reconciliation, and possibilities for peace and shared futures in the region. A France 24 interview with journalist David Gormezano further explores the authors’ experiences and perspectives on reconciliation.

The abolition of the death penalty in history teaching. Observatory on history teaching in Europe, COE, 2026. Ad hoc study by the Observatory on History Teaching in Europe 2026. The abolition of the death penalty in Europe is a recent and fragile achievement. For young generations who have grown up in countries where it is abolished, this achievement can feel self-evident. Yet, it was the outcome of deliberate struggle. Learning about the history behind the abolition movement is key to understanding that human rights can only be secured through sustained commitment over time. The mission of the Observatory on History Teaching in Europe (OHTE) is to provide a clear picture of how history is taught in its member states. With contributions from the Leibniz Institute for Educational Media | Georg Eckert Institute (GEI), the Council of Europe Coordinator for the abolition of the death penalty and the International Academic Network for the Abolition of Capital Punishment (REPECAP), this ad hoc study looks at the portrayal of the death penalty and its abolition in history education in the OHTE member states. In the context of the ongoing international movements for the abolition of the death penalty, particularly the efforts of the Council of Europe towards achieving a death penalty-free zone in Europe, this study demonstrates the essential role of history education in reinforcing learners’ appreciation of human dignity, justice and equality.

Call for Papers

Call for Proposals : 11th International Conference of Community Psychology. Gathering in the Motherland: Celebrating the Ways of Water & Reconnecting to the Source. September 1 – 4, 2026. Lagos State University, Lagos, Nigeria. Water, the excellent nurturer, supports all forms of life, whether mythical or actual. Water runs through and shapes every landscape, enlivening the hills, the mountains, the forest, and animals of varied kinds. The power of water lies in its ability to shapeshift form for conditions. The rise of civilizations has always been inextricably linked to the successful management of water when there was either too little or too much of it, harnessing its power. All ecosystems and cultures, through the movement of humans and goods, have often become identified with the societies they support. Is it possible to think of China without imagining the Yangzi, ancient Egypt without the influence of the Nile, Caesar’s Rome, or Dante’s Florence without picturing the Tiber or the Arno? It is impossible to think of the transatlantic trade and redistributing human bodies across the Americas without Lagos, Badagry’s “Point of no Return.”

International Cooperation under the European Convention on Human Rights. This two-day OCEAN conference, to be held in Liverpool, UK, on 15–16 October 2026, brings together scholars, judges, and practitioners from the European Court of Human Rights and the Council of Europe. The call for papers is open to scholars at all career stages and welcomes contributions on Convention rights in areas such as climate change, migration and refugee issues, criminal cooperation, European integration, and states’ obligations to cooperate with and implement judgments of the European Court of Human Rights. Abstracts of up to 500 words are due by 3 July 2026, with full papers due by 15 December 2026.

Call for Applications: Editor, Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology. The Society for the Study of Peace, Conflict, and Violence (APA Division 48) invites applications for the editorship of Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology. The new editor’s term will begin in January 2027. The journal publishes empirical research on peace, conflict, and their interaction across interpersonal, community, regional, national, and international contexts and welcomes contributions from scholars and practitioners worldwide. Review of applications will begin on 27 July 2026 and continue until the position is filled. Interested applicants may contact Serdar M. Değirmencioğlu, Ph.D., Chair of the Search Committee.

Exhibits, Events, Courses

44th Annual Conference of Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies. Maintaining Human Dignity in the Midst of Crises. Hamburg, Germany, and online. 25th August 2026. The Dignity Conference, to be held in Hamburg in August 2026, will be linked to the annual summer school of the transdisciplinary Peace Education and Peacebuilding initiative at the University of Hamburg. Faculty and students from the University will participate in the conference. As part of the program, students will develop stories and arts-based activities with and for children and young people that address experiences of humiliation and dignity. These activities will be shared with conference participants through the conference’s open-space format, known as the Dignity Dialogue, or “Dignilogue.”

 International Human Trafficking and Social Justice Conference. Virtual Conference, September 23–25, 2026. This conference brings together researchers, practitioners, advocates, survivors, educators, and policymakers to address human trafficking and promote social justice. The program explores current research, prevention efforts, survivor-informed practices, and multidisciplinary responses to trafficking while providing opportunities for learning, collaboration, and professional exchange.

ENDNOTES

CONTACTS: Published by the Global Network of Psychologists for Human Rights – www.humanrightspsychology.org

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