ICRC and Z Zurich Foundation partner to strengthen mental health support in emergencies
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Z Zurich Foundation have entered a multi-year collaboration to support and expand mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) in emergencies
This collaboration will help the ICRC further advance its work in strengthening emergency MHPSS capacities, integrating mental health considerations into humanitarian response, and developing key tools to improve care for conflict-affected populations.
Mental health needs are among the most urgent yet under-resourced aspects of humanitarian crises. The ICRC’s leadership in this space will catalyze scalable, multilingual tools and practical resources that aims to empower frontline responders and decision-makers alike. It’s a bold step toward systemic change.
The ICRC’s MHPSS program focuses on reducing psychological distress, fostering resilience, and supporting recovery for people affected by armed conflict, violence, and displacement. The support from the Z Zurich Foundation will contribute to developing practical guidance to help ensure MHPSS activities are effectively integrated into emergency measures across diverse contexts. The capacity building element of this collaboration will help drive sustainable impact and resilience.
"Mental health is a cornerstone of humanitarian response—just as vital as physical health when lives are disrupted by conflict and crisis," said Olivier Ray, Director of Movement, Mobilization and Partnerships at the ICRC. “Through this multi-year collaboration with the Z Zurich Foundation, we are better positioned to enhance our emergency response capacities and ensure mental health support reaches those who need it most.”
The collaboration underscores a shared commitment to improving wellbeing and dignity for communities affected by crises, reflecting the ICRC’s integrated approach to humanitarian action.
“With the ICRC, we are putting invisible needs front and center, By embedding MHPSS into the core of emergency preparedness and humanitarian delivery, it is no longer just about reach. It’s about transformation” said Manon Parmentier, Head of Crisis Response, Advocacy & Communications at the Z Zurich Foundation. “As crises grow and resources shrink, collaboration across sectors isn’t optional—it’s the only way forward.”
By joining forces, the ICRC and Z Zurich Foundation aim to ensure that mental health support remains a critical and accessible component of humanitarian response, helping individuals and communities recover and rebuild after crises.
For more information, please contact
Manon Parmentier
Z Zurich Foundation Head of Crisis Response, Advocacy and Communications
z.zurich.foundation@zurich.com
Learn more about the ICRC’s mental health and psychosocial support work here.
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The Z Zurich Foundation is a Swiss-based charitable foundation established by members of the Zurich Insurance Group. It is the main vehicle by which Zurich Insurance Group delivers on its global community investment strategy.
It works alongside Zurich Insurance Group employees and other stakeholders as well as with governments and NGOs in pursuit of a future where people can thrive in the face of increasing climate hazards and catastrophes, where those of us feeling the stresses of life are empowered to speak up, and where the marginalized in our society can reach their full potential.
Visit the Z Zurich Foundation’s website to learn more about its work: https://zurich.foundation. Follow Z Zurich Foundation on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Z Zurich Foundation collaborates with charities, non-profit organizations, philanthropist investors, service providers, Zurich Insurance Group Ltd and its subsidiaries (“Zurich”) as well as others, but such relationships are not partnerships in the legal sense of the term and nothing in this document, including but not limited to the use of terms such as “partner” or “partnership,” should be construed as giving rise to such an inference.