As of 2015, with the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the United Nations has a new roadmap for development that will guide global and national agendas for the next 15 years. Mental health was explicitly included in the SDGs, for the first time being recognised as an essential component of development. This is a major achievement that has taken decades of unrelenting advocacy. Still, mental health lacks clear, measurable indicators within the SDGs, threatening its progress in the realm of global development. The task now is for the global mental health community to actively work within health systems, and with other sectors, to integrate mental health interventions and indicators into programmes aimed at other goals and targets. In this way, the direct impact of mental health on development and the impact of mental health on other development goals will be recognised and quantified.

The APEC Mental Health Roadmap has a vision to strengthen mental health and reduce the economic impact of mental illness in the Asia Pacific. To facilitate its implementation, the APEC Digital Hub will heighten exchange and dissemination of best practices in Asia Pacific mental health partnerships, and increase multi-sectoral recognition to invest in mental health to support economic growth.

This brief report examines the extent to which community-based treatment and integration support are provided for people living with mental illness across 15 selected Asia-Pacific economies. Some of the key findings are discussed in light of the diversity of economies and cultural contexts.

Not for the first time in recent history, the people of Haiti have been obliged to fall back on their resilience strategies in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew. Following the powerful earthquake that struck the country on 12 January 2010, the entire population had to find the resources to survive in the face of extensive material damage and loss of life: over 222 000 dead, more than 300 000 injured and between 4000 and 7000 amputees (UNDP, 2010).

The current Law for Psychiatric Care in the Republic of Cyprus was enacted in 1997 with amendments made in 2003 and 2007. The mental health law makes provision for the development and function of Psychiatric Centres for the care of the mentally ill. In contrast to the old Mental Health Law there is a major shift from a custodial approach to community care. Compulsory admissions under the Act, which require a Court Order, are made to a designated secure psychiatric in-patient unit. The protection of patients' human rights is at the core of the Act.

The Mental Health Commission, a Supervisory Committee and designated body for the Protection of the Rights of the Mentally Ill, assists in the correct implementation of the Mental Health Law. The Commission has a primarily advisory role but it is actively involved in monitoring the implementation of the Mental Health Law.

In 2014, Brunei implemented the Mental Health Order, which replaced the 1929 Lunacy Act. This new legislation was designed to improve the treatment of mental disorders and to protect the rights and welfare of people with mental disorders. This short report describes the experience and challenge of implementing the new legislation, with a particular focus on the use of involuntary treatment and the restrictions imposed on people with mental disorders despite the new legislative framework.

Several international proclamations in the last decades have advocated for the dignity and autonomy of persons with mental disorders. Few discussions have been generated regarding the implication of this transition in low- and middle-income countries. The objective of this publication is to review how the concept of mental capacity has been defined in Colombian law. We then briefly compare the Colombian and UK situations and propose a few points of discussion, addressing some difficulties and challenges of both countries. Finally, we propose that the first steps in the Colombian context would be to strengthen understanding about mental capacity in medical schools, postgraduate and other health related programmes, the adoption of standardized tools to improve its assessment in everyday clinical settings and the establishment of community care services from collaborative efforts between governmental and civil organizations.

Alcohol and cannabis were the two main substances of misuse among certain groups in Sudan, especially young adults. Over the past decade, there has been a surge in the use of other substances, including prescribed drugs, among young people and university students in particular. There are two major shortcomings: first, in the absence of reliable data, the extent of the problem is unknown; second, the preventive and treatment interventions so far being adopted are meagre. To describe the possible causes behind the escalation of this problem and to discuss applicable measures that need to be implemented to control this rapidly growing problem. The paper will highlight the current situation of substance use in Sudan, as well as suggesting preventive measures that need to be taken to curb this problem. Research and evidence-based preventive approaches are desperately needed to aid policy makers in controlling this problem. Culture-specific treatment interventions are also necessary. The implementation of a national substance misuse control strategy is of paramount importance.

Experiencing life and work in an alien culture initially just felt unsettling, but it also really challenged how I perceived myself and my abilities as a doctor. Being the outsider in a group has the ability to hold an uncomfortable and scrutinising mirror up to yourself. It also offers a unique opportunity to reconsider the skills, attributes and knowledge needed to be a psychiatrist. As psychiatrists, we intellectually know that culture is integral to a person's well-being and the care we deliver will never be truly holistic until we encompass that. However, it was only when I was the fish out of water that I truly began to appreciate its significance.