Introduction Key Definitions Terminology Literature Review Frameworks Ensuring Inclusion Tools, Resources, and Annexes Group Pull-outs
Frameworks that Underpin a Rights-Based Approach
When proposing an MHPSS program, one will need to demonstrate the steps their programming will take to secure the inclusion of marginalized and underrepresented populations. The frameworks presented in this section will guide the approach to program design and planning. The frameworks are more about the process for how to engage marginalized and underrepresented groups in programming, whereas the frameworks in the Youth MHPSS Toolkit are focused on the MHPSS program itself. These tools are complementary and should be used in tandem.
The Youth MHPSS Toolkit introduced core frameworks that guide and drive USAID-supported MHPSS programming, including USAID’s Positive Youth Development (PYD) Framework and IASC’s MHPSS Intervention Pyramid . This toolkit will expand on those frameworks by introducing a rights-based approach to mental health, providing guidance on the do-no-harm principle for MHPSS, and using the continuum of care. This secures alignment with broader interagency standards codified in United Nations (UN) resolutions.
Inclusive Development and MHPSS
Inclusive development is an equitable development approach built on the understanding that every person, group, and community, of all diverse identities and experiences, is critical in the transformation of their own societies and their engagement throughout the development process will lead to better outcomes. Inclusive development means that all individuals should be able to contribute and benefit from USAID programming. USAID’s approach to inclusive development requires the participation and engagement of marginalized and underrepresented populations across the Program Cycle (USAID/DCHA/DRG/HR 2018). Integral to inclusive development are two key principles:
- Do No Harm: This toolkit complements the Youth MHPSS Toolkit by providing an MHPSS framework for inclusive development that entails a rights-based approach to mental health, guidance on the do-no-harm principle for MHPSS specific to marginalized and underrepresented youth communities, and use of the continuum of care.
- Nothing about Us without Us: The participation of marginalized and underrepresented groups is central to USAID’s inclusive development approach. Marginalized and underrepresented groups should participate in the full Program Cycle, from assessments to design and evaluation. This toolkit increases focus on the integration of human rights, equity, and participation throughout by adapting the IASC “Human Rights and Equity” and “Participation” guidance from the IASC MHPSS Guidelines (IASC 2007). This integration aligns with USAID’s Inclusive Development approach to incorporate local knowledge program design by providing tools and resources for maximizing the equitable participation of diverse marginalized and underrepresented groups in MHPSS programming (USAID/DCHA/DRG/HR 2018). This further supports alignment with and operationalizes broader interagency standards codified in the UN resolutions.
To further address equity gaps, the USAID Inclusive Development approach provides guidance and tools to facilitate safe, meaningful opportunities for youth from marginalized and underrepresented groups to participate in the development of mental health programs in an ongoing way—throughout design, implementation, and evaluation—with a focus on improving youth’s access to quality MHPSS services that meet their needs. Inclusion and Equity programming components include:
- Designing inclusive development programming to address the needs of, engage with, and support the priorities of marginalized and underrepresented groups in programming by incorporating local knowledge.
- Designing stakeholder consultations with marginalized and underrepresented communities based on best practices (the most effective evidence-informed and evaluated programs specific to circumstance), USAID’s principle of “Nothing about Us without Us,” and USAID’s Safety/Security-Sensitive and Trauma-Informed Stakeholder Consultations with Members of Marginalized Groups (USAID/DCHA/DRG/HR 2018).
These programming components serve as complementary resources that can be used to streamline a model of community-based mental health services into development program planning and engage with and support the priorities of youth from marginalized and underrepresented groups and other MHPSS stakeholders in contextualization and cultural adaptation.
A Rights-Based Approach for MHPSS
A rights-based approach to inclusion of marginalized and underrepresented groups in MHPSS programming is based on human rights enshrined in and through UN conventions, and addresses inequities, discrimination, and injustices that undermine the realization of marginalized and underrepresented people’s right to mental health and well-being. A rights-based approach to MHPSS program development is based on respect for the inherent dignity, autonomy, and independence of everyone. It promotes and protects the right to equity in access to quality MHPSS prevention, promotion, and care/treatment services. It considers the full range of social determinants that affect people’s mental health and psychosocial well-being, diverging from the biomedical model’s over-focus on diagnosis, medication, and symptom reduction (WHO 2021b).