TFD News
KARACHI: World Mental Health Day was observed at Aaghosh Home on Saturday with a message of compassion, dignity and inclusion for people living with mental health conditions and disabilities.
The day was marked in the presence of girls residing at Aaghosh Home, where dozens of orphan girls with physical and intellectual disabilities and special care needs are being provided shelter, care and a dignified living environment.
World Mental Health Day is observed globally on October 10 every year to raise awareness about mental health issues, challenge stigma and mobilise support for better mental health care. The World Health Organization has designated the 2026 theme as “Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change,” highlighting the importance of listening to people with lived experience and involving them in decisions affecting their lives.
Speaking on the occasion, Aaghosh President Shagufta Saba said that mental health should not be treated as a matter of shame, isolation or social exclusion, but as an essential part of overall human health and well-being.
She said society has a collective responsibility to ensure that people facing mental health challenges, intellectual disabilities or other special needs are treated with respect, patience and compassion.
“Every human being deserves love, respect, security and the opportunity to live with dignity. People with mental health conditions or disabilities do not need our sympathy alone; they need acceptance, understanding and equal recognition as members of society,” she said.
Shagufta Saba said Aaghosh Home had always endeavoured to create an environment in which orphan girls with special needs could feel safe, valued and cared for.
She said that for children and adults requiring special care, emotional support and a sense of belonging were as important as food, shelter and medical assistance.
“Sometimes a caring word, a smile, a patient listener and a feeling that someone stands beside you can make an enormous difference in a person’s life,” she said.
The Aaghosh president stressed that families and communities should overcome the stigma surrounding mental health. She observed that many people hesitate to discuss mental health difficulties because of fear of social judgement, while people with intellectual or psychosocial disabilities often face even greater discrimination and isolation.
She called for greater awareness at schools, workplaces, healthcare institutions and within families so that mental health problems could be recognised and addressed at an early stage.
Referring to this year’s global theme, Shagufta Saba said it carried an important message that those who have personally experienced mental health challenges must not merely be spoken about – their own voices must also be heard.
“We must learn to listen to people themselves. We should understand their experiences, their needs and their aspirations rather than making every decision on their behalf,” she said.
She added that Aaghosh was committed to ensuring that the girls under its care were not made to feel isolated because of their circumstances or disabilities.
“For us, Aaghosh is not simply a shelter. It is their home. Our endeavour is to give these girls the love, respect and security that every daughter deserves,” Shagufta Saba said.
She also appealed to philanthropists, social organisations, healthcare professionals and members of civil society to come forward and support institutions working for orphaned and differently abled children.
She said Pakistan needed stronger community-based systems through which people requiring mental health and special care services could receive professional assistance while continuing to live with dignity and remain connected with society.
Marking World Mental Health Day at Aaghosh Home, participants reaffirmed the need to create a society in which mental health is discussed openly and no individual is marginalised because of disability, psychological difficulties or special needs.
Shagufta Saba concluded her message by saying that the real measure of a compassionate society was how it treated its most vulnerable members.
“On this World Mental Health Day, our message is simple: listen to them, understand them, respect them and stand beside them. Every life has value, and every individual deserves dignity.
