350 million people are affected by depression worldwide. WHO states that we are “facing a global human rights emergency in mental health”. Mental illness puts individuals at a higher risk of dying  than the general population.

Pakistan has among the highest rates of psychiatric morbidity in the world, with 66% of women reporting symptoms of depression, and 34% of the general population reporting both depression and anxiety (Mirza, 2004). Only 1 psychiatrist is available for every 500,000 people (WHO, 2011). Cultural attitudes and stigmatization is one of the biggest obstacles around mental health. The first step is therefore to recognize the issue and reach out for support.

IRD aims to bridge the mental health delivery gap through new and innovative methods for promoting and providing mental health services to a population that would traditionally be excluded from utilizing these resources.