At the foot of the noble building of the old Town Hall, in the Plaza Mayor, World Mental Health Day was celebrated for yet another year, which on this occasion came under the generic slogan “Work and mental health, a fundamental link.” With two large banners on the background façade, the social entities Afemagra and Faisem, in addition to the workers of the Cuevas de Baza Special Plan (ERACIS), have installed a couple of stands where they have offered some of the work carried out by their users, as well as as different products alluding to this emblematic date.
At noon, several dozen students gathered there who wanted to accompany and be present on this day. Among them the green balloons were visible, a sign of what was being celebrated that morning. The mayor of Baza, Pedro J. Ramos, who has accompanied the rally along with some members of the government team and some other councilors of the corporation, has begun the reading of a Proclamation on the occasion of World Mental Health Day, a call to pay attention to this ailment that the Councilor for Health of the City Council, Mª Carmen Sánchez, has concluded. Next, two users from the social entities present have read the Manifesto. Both documents accompany this chronicle. Finally, those gathered took the opportunity to share a Zumba session, because a healthy body helps to have a healthy mind. The day concluded with the green decoration of the Museum’s façade, the color with which this cause is identified. The associations, the mayor and the Health Councilor have been there.
The events promoted on October 10, World Mental Health Day, will conclude on Wednesday, October 16, with a hiking activity in the Sierra de Baza Natural Park.
PROCLAIMS WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY 2024
“Work and mental health, a fundamental link”
CONSIDERING that the commemoration of World Mental Health Day is now 32 years old, that it has the support of the World Health Organization and that numerous people and entities from the Spanish State and around the world participate in it;
WHEREAS the motto “Work and mental health, a fundamental link” focuses on the right of people with mental health problems to have a job and the right of all people to enjoy a healthy work environment;
CONSIDERING that mental health and work are closely related and that the work environment is one of the main factors that influences people’s well-being;
CONSIDERING that job insecurity has a high impact on the mental health of workers and that sick leave related to mental health has increased in recent years;
WHEREAS people with mental health problems continue to face numerous barriers to employment, including stigma;
I, Pedro Justo Ramos, Mayor of Baza, proclaim World Mental Health Day in BAZA and urge those with public responsibilities, social agents, non-profit organizations, media, scientific societies, companies, students and health professionals , social care, education, employment and the right, and all citizens to:
– That they get involved in the creation of safe, healthy and inclusive work environments, in which mental health is cared for and talked about, without taboos or prejudices;
– That measures be promoted against job insecurity and the control of occupational risks in companies;
– That all types of resources be promoted that facilitate the labor insertion of people with mental health problems, such as job training, Special Employment Centers, and the promotion of supported employment and the promotion of labor insertion in positions of support. ordinary employment;
– And that support systems and adaptations be considered in companies that enforce the right to work of people with mental health problems, just as workplaces are adapted for other disabilities.
I urge my fellow citizens to participate in the activities that will commemorate this year’s World Mental Health Day 2024 with the aim of demanding that work environments be places in which well-being is enhanced and that are inclusive and respectful of people with mental health problems.
MANIFESTO WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY 2024
Work and mental health, a fundamental link
On World Mental Health Day we want to draw attention to a fundamental issue: the right to decent work, and the right for the working day to be a pleasant, positive, enriching experience. We always say that a recovery process culminates when the person plays a social role, one of the most satisfying roles being professional activity. This is because a well-paid job provides us with an independent life project, while responsibility determines the nature of our mental experience and helps us overcome limitations that, many times, are only self-perceived.
With a job we achieve autonomy, we discover our potential, and we manage to feel useful, participants in that collective conquest that is society. For the workplace to be respectful of diversity, we must face rejection, discrimination, or even harassment. At the same time, we must cultivate spaces where self-esteem, security and confidence grow.
It is about creating a climate so that the person shows their best version, and their true capacity. Teamwork and encouraging understanding will help break down the barriers of lack of communication.
If we want to advance the concept of accessibility, we must treat the person and their habitat as a whole; so that a friendly design of the environment in which we move will be key to guaranteeing our rights. Furthermore, sincerity must govern work relationships, and no one should feel like a stranger when it comes to making a mental health problem visible, something completely natural.
For all of which we claim:
Strengthen psychosocial risk prevention teams and raise awareness among public and private companies, since casualties caused by this type of risk tend to increase and may compromise their viability.
We demand a work culture that promotes psychosocial factors that promote mental health. To do this, the employing entity must be aware of, and establish a plan of measures that addresses environmental circumstances, the organization of competencies, and a policy that includes support systems, flexible work schedules, and other mechanisms that affect safety. psychosocial.
Likewise, we aspire to job offers with greater added value, and not only in mechanical and repetitive jobs.
Also, we consider that, sometimes, the solution to a problem is only possible by making a global reading of it. In this sense, we align ourselves with Sustainable Development Goal No. 8 on “Decent work and economic growth” and we urge the business community, and the State, to generate opportunities in access to ordinary employment, and to make prospections, alliances, and creative policies that encourage socio-labor insertion itineraries.
In short, taking care of ourselves and mental health at work is essential to be able to carry out work activity in a healthy way, and in harmony with the environment. We prefer concern for a job well done than the emptiness of a life without horizon.
“Work and mental health, a fundamental link.”
Thanks for listening to us.