Statement: MHE welcomes EU Anti-Racism Strategy renewal but issues concern on failure to confront political realities and mental health impacts of racism

For immediate release

Mental Health Europe welcomes EU Anti-Racism Strategy renewal but issues concern on failure to confront political realities and mental health impacts of racism 

Brussels, Belgium – 27 January 2026

Mental Health Europe (MHE) welcomes the European Commission’s renewed Anti-Racism Strategy as a reaffirmation of the EU’s commitment to equality and human rights at a time when diversity and inclusion are increasingly under attack. However, MHE notes that the renewed Strategy largely mirrors the previous framework and offers little that meaningfully responds to the worsening political climate faced by racialised communities across Europe. 

While racism is recognised as a systemic issue affecting access to employment, housing, education and healthcare, mental health remains largely overlooked, mentioned only once in the Strategy. This omission reflects a broader failure to address the long-term psychological harm caused by racism, violence and exclusion, despite clear and growing evidence of their impact. 

MHE’s 2024 report on the impact of discrimination based on race and ethnicity shows that racism is a major determinant of poor mental health outcomes. Persistent exposure to discrimination, microaggressions and structural exclusion significantly increases the risk of anxiety, depression and trauma. At the same time, racialised communities continue to face barriers in accessing culturally safe and appropriate mental health support. 

Crucially, the Strategy also fails to acknowledge how current EU and national policies actively contribute to racialised harm. Areas such as migration, border control and asylum, where policies have been widely documented to expose people to violence, insecurity and dehumanisation, are absent from the analysis, despite their profound and lasting mental health consequences. 

“An anti-racism strategy that repeats existing commitments while ignoring the political drivers of exclusion risks falling short of its own objectives,” said Mental Health Europe Policy Manager, Camille Roux. “Mental health cannot be treated as an afterthought when racism, state violence and exclusion shape people’s lives and wellbeing.” 

MHE calls on EU institutions and Member States to move beyond symbolic commitments and systematically integrate mental health into anti-racism frameworks, including prevention, promotion and early intervention measures. This must include investment in culturally tailored, community-based mental health services, mandatory anti-racism training for mental health professionals, and stronger health equality data to monitor disparities. 

At a time of growing political exclusion, racialised communities must be meaningfully involved in shaping policies that affect their lives. A whole-of-society approach, grounded in human rights and intersectionality, is essential to dismantle structural racism and advance mental health equity across Europe. 

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For more information contact:   

Nabil Sanaullah, MHE Communications Manager

Phone: +32 2 887 22 08 – Email: n.sanaullah@mentalhealtheurope.org – Web: www.mentalhealtheurope.org

Notes to editors:

• Mental Health Europe is the main independent European non-governmental network organisation committed to the protection of the rights of persons with psychosocial disabilities, the promotion of positive mental health, the prevention of mental distress, and the improvement of mental health care and social inclusion.